China's Shenzhou 9 docks with orbiting module 200 miles above Earth

Monday, 18 June 2012 08:35

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Sourced The Guardian

Capsule carrying China's first female astronaut and two male colleagues docks with Tiangong 1 module

Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, before the mission. Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters

A Chinese spacecraft carrying three astronauts has docked with an orbiting module where they will live and work for several days as part of preparations for crewing a permanent space station.

The Shenzhou 9 capsule completed the manoeuvre as scheduled shortly after 7am UK time on Monday as the Tiangong 1 module orbited 213 miles above Earth.

The capsule's crew includes 33-year-old Liu Yang, an air force pilot and China's first female astronaut.

Monday's docking was completed by remote control from a ground base in China. A manual docking carried out by one of the crew members is scheduled for later.

Two crew members plan to conduct medical tests and experiments inside the module, while the third will remain in the spacecraft.