Chinese Spacecraft Returns from Historic Flight

The Shenzhou 8 spacecraft, which played a tremendously important role in completing China's first two robotic orbital docking maneuvers, returned to Earth on Thursday, November 17, after spending about 18 days in space.

According to the China National Space Agency (CNSA), it would appear that the spacecraft – which took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on September 29 – landed successfully in Inner Mongolia, from where Chinese authorities recovered it immediately.

Together with the Tiangong-1 space capsule, the Shenzhou 8 managed to perform two robotic docking maneuvers in low-Earth orbit. The reason why this is so important it that it allows China to start constructing its own space station, which the country says will be ready by 2020, Space reports.

Tiangong-1 will remain in orbit for a while longer. Two more Shenzhou missions – of which one will be manned – are scheduled to launch to LEO in 2012. They will also attempt to dock to the capsule which is currently in space.