The Shenzhou 8 module that was launched on the 31st October, 2011, from the Jiquan Space Centre, China, is predicted to re-enter the Earths atmosphere on the 2nd April, 2012 @ 03:50 GMT ± 48 hours.
China's unmanned Shenzhou 8 capsule returns to Earth
A Chinese spacecraft has returned to Earth after completing the nation's first docking manoeuvres in orbit. The Shenzhou 8 capsule landed in the Gobi desert late on Thursday (Beijing time), the final moments of its descent having being slowed by parachute. Read more
The re-entry module of the spacecraft parachuted down at a landing site in Siziwang Banner (county) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at around 7:30 p.m., marking the end of the 49-day space docking mission.
The re-entry capsule of Shenzhou 8 was set to land on ground at around 7 pm Beijing Time (GMT+0800) on November 17.
The Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft will return to Earth Thursday evening following China's first space docking procedure with space lab module Tiangong-1. The Shenzhou-8 is scheduled to touch down around 7 p.m. at a landing site located in Siziwang Banner (county) in north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Read more
Weather conditions at the launch site are ideal for Shenzhou 8's re-entry. Land search crews are in place to recover the craft. Read more
China's Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft re-docked with the Tiangong-1, a module of the country's planned space lab, Monday evening, according to the mission's control centre. Read more
China's unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 and space lab module Tiangong-1 successfully conducted a second space docking test around 8 pm Monday, according to the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre (BACC). About half an hour before the docking, the Shenzhou-8 had successfully disengaged from Tiangong-1 after 12 days of flying together. Read more