Shenzhou-11 (SZ-11)

China (PR)

International Flight nº: 307

Eart orbit Flight nº: 304

China manned Flight nº: 6

Launch, orbit & landing data:

Designation	16061A
Launch date - time	16 Oct 2016 - 23:30:31 UTC
Launch site	Jiuquan, SLS-1
Launch vehicle	CZ-2F/G
Mass (kg)	kg
Docking date - time	18 Oct 2016 - 19:24 UT
Target spacecraft	Tiangong 2 spacelab
Earth orbit:
- Perigee / Apogee	379 x 389 km
- Eccentricity
- Inclination	42.78 °
- Period	min
Undocking date - time	17 Nov 2016 - 04:41 UT
Deorbit burn date - time
Landing date - time	18 Nov 2016 - 05:59:38 UT
Landing location	42°29'11.7" N, 112°42'57.36" E
Flight Duration (d:hr:min)	32d 06h 29m 08s
Nbr orbits	507

Crew:

Nr.	Surname	Given name	Job	Duration
1	Jing	Haipeng	Commander	32d 06h 29m 08s
2	Chen	Dong	Operator	32d 06h 29m 08s

Note: The mission selected two crew instead of three to extend supplies, to increase mission length for their long duration stay.

Description:

Shenzhou-11 spacecraft undergoing tests in February 2016 (CCTV/Framegrab).

Flight details:

The second Chinese spacestation Tiangong-2 was launched on September 15, 2016 at 14:04:12.428 UTC.
The Shenzhou 11 was launched at 07:30 on 17 October 2016 local time (23:30 UTC on 16 October) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using a Long March 2F launch rocket.
The mission′s main objective was to rendezvous and dock with the Tiangong-2 space laboratory and gain experience from a 30-day residence, and to test its life-support systems. The Tianzhou 1 cargo vehicle will also dock with the station to deliver supplies.
In the two days after the launch, it changed its orbit five times to arrive 52 kilometers behind the Tiangong-2 space lab. It autonomously rendezvoused and docked with Tiangong-2 at 3:24 p.m. EDT in October 18, 2016, while both spacecraft were at an altitude of 393 km (244 mi).
The crew became the first resident crew of the second Chinese spacestation.
On October 22, 2016 at 23:32 UTC the astronauts released the sub-satellite Banxing-2.

Life onboard Tiangong-2. Credit: CCTV/Spaceflight Now

Shenzhou 11 with Tiangong-2 as seen from Baxing-2. Credit: CCTV/Xinhua
The crew landed successfully after the 33-day mission on 18 November 2016.The reentry module of the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft landed in Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia around 2:15 pm (China time) after undocking from the space lab on 17 November. The landing was 100 km east of the planned landing area in Inner Mongolia.

Shenzhou-11 recovery. Credit: CCTV/Spaceflight Now

Shenzhou-11 crew. Credit: CCTV/Xinhua