China to launch Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft on Oct. 17

 

A press conference is held at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Oct. 16, 2016. The Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft will be launched at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 17, 2016 Beijing Time (2330 GMT Oct. 16). The spaceship will take two male astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong into space. The spacecraft will dock with orbiting space lab Tiangong-2 within two days and the astronauts will stay in the space lab for 30 days before returning to Earth. The 50-year-old Jing will be commander of the mission. It will be the first spaceflight of 38-year-old Chen and Jing Haipeng's third. (Xinhua/Li Gang)