Shenzhou VIII Launch Successful

October 31, 2011 | 9:47 pm
Gregory Kulacki
East Asia Project Manager

http://youtu.be/HwxE7MID3S8

This is a video captured from a live Chinese television broadcast of the complete launch of the Shenzhou VIII spacecraft on the morning of November 1, 2011. The video begins at 40 seconds before ignition and continues through entry into the assigned orbit and the opening of the spacecraft’s solar panels.

The next major televised event in the current mission will be the planned docking of the Shenzhou VIII with the Tiangong 1 space lab in the very early morning hours of November 3, China Standard Time (CST).