14 DAY TRIAL // At 5:58 am local time, on Tuesday, November 1, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) launched a new spacecraft in low-Earth orbit. The Shenzhou 8 space capsule is destined to conduct the first orbital docking maneuvers China has ever attempted.
The vehicle took off aboard a modified Chinese Long March 2F rocket, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Inner Mongolia. Launch occurred at 5:58 pm EDT (2158 GMT) on October 31.
When it reaches a stable orbit, the Shenzhou spacecraft will begin a series of maneuvers that will eventually bring it in close proximity to the Tiangong 1spacecraft. The latter was launched in late September, and represents the other half of the docking attempt process.
If the two capsules manage to dock to each other in LEO, then China will have an open chance to construct its own space station by 2020, Space reports.