China's Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft reaches space station

ISTANBUL

China's Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft successfully reached on Saturday the Tiangong Space Station, which orbits the Earth.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced the spacecraft docked at the rear port of the space station’s core module.

A statement said astronauts aboard the station will enter the spacecraft and transfer supplies as planned.

The spacecraft was launched Friday from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island using the Long March 7 Y9 rocket.

The resupply mission aims to meet the needs of the new crew of astronauts sent to the station Oct. 30.

China has conducted previous resupply missions to the station, including Tianzhou-2 and Tianzhou-3 in 2021, Tianzhou-4 and Tianzhou-5 in 2022; Tianzhou-6 in 2023 and Tianzhou-7 in January.

China established its orbital space station after the US banned collaboration in space research and excluded China from participating in the International Space Station program.

The Tiangon, or Heavenly Palace, station comprises a core module and two laboratory modules, with plans to add a space telescope. It was modeled after Russia's now-defunct Mir Space Station.