CASC Long March 2F/G Shenzhou-8 & Shenzhou-8-GC
Long March 2F/G
Status
Success
Date
31 OCT 2011
21:58
Launch Provider
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch Pad
Launch Area 91 (SLS-1 / 921)
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Mission Overview
This is the first docking mission for China's Shenzhou program. Being the first spacecraft to visit the Tiangong-1 space station, it was launched without crew to demonstrate spacecraft rendezvous and docking techniques. The spacecraft docked automatically to the station on 2 November 2011. A second undocking and re-docking to test accuracy and reliability of equipment and sensors in a bright environment was performed on 14 November 2011. Shenzhou 8 undocked on 17 November 2011 and landed safely back on Earth the same day.
Rocket
Long March 2F/G
Mission Type
Human Exploration
Orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Stages
2
Livestream
Not availableRocket Details
The Long March 2F is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch the crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle. It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F/G version includes longer boosters for increased lift capability, among other improvements.
Height
62 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Launch Mass
464 T