Shenzhou 9 spacecraft separated from Tiangong 1
Shenzhou 9 spacecraft and Tiangong 1 lab module have been successfully separated by manual operation Thursday morning, making preparation for the return of the manned spacecraft on Friday.
China launched its Shenzhou 9 manned spacecraft on June 16 to perform China's first manned space docking mission with the orbiting Tiangong 1 space lab module. China.org.cn will provide a live webcast and minute-by-minute live blogging coverage of the event.
Chinese leaders applaud successful launch of Tiangong-1
President Hu Jintao and other leaders applauded the successful launch of China's first space lab module Tiangong-1, and shook hands with the staff of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center.
Tiangong-1, science or prestige?
The launch of the Tiangong-1 space module is a perfect way to reignite the nationalist, patriotic spirit of Chinese people and ensure the country's peaceful development.
Shenzhou-9 in final testing stage before launch
The Shenzhou-9 went into the final phase of pre-launch preparations on Wednesday ahead of China's first manned space docking mission, as its carrier rocket is being injected with propellant.
Tiangong-1 (Chinese:天宮一號) is an unmanned space module complex to be launched by 
