Published : 2025-06-11
On June 11, 2013, China's Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, accurately entering the predetermined orbit and successfully sending three astronauts, Nie Haisheng (聶海勝), Zhang Xiaoguang (張曉光), and Wang Yaping (王亞平), into space.
The Shenzhou-10 manned flight mission was the 5th manned space flight organised by China and the first operational flight of the manned space transportation system consisting of the Shenzhou spacecraft and Long March-2F carrier rocket.
According to the plan, Shenzhou-10 was to fly in orbit for 15 days, the longest manned space flight by China at the time, during which it would conduct one automatic rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1 and one manual rendezvous and docking by the astronauts.
The primary objectives of this space mission are fourfold: firstly, to launch the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft to provide personnel and cargo transportation services between Earth and space for the Tiangong-1 target vehicle's on-orbit operation, thereby further assessing rendezvous and docking technology and the performance of the manned space transportation system.
Secondly, to further assess the combined systems' ability to support the living, working, and health conditions of astronauts, as well as their ability to perform flight missions.
Thirdly, to study the astronauts' adaptability to the space environment and operational efficiency in space, to conduct space science experiments and on-orbit maintenance tests, and to conduct China's first space teaching activity.
Finally, to further assess the functionality, performance, and system coordination of each engineering system in executing the flight mission.
On the 26th of the same month, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft successfully landed in the predetermined area of the main landing field in central Inner Mongolia, marking the successful completion of the mission.
