China's Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship docks with space station combination

The Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 30, 2023. China on Tuesday launched the Shenzhou-16 manned spaceship, sending three astronauts to its space station combination for a five-month mission. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Tuesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

This simulated image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on May 30, 2023 shows Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship conducting a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of core module Tianhe of the space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Tuesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship, launched on Tuesday morning, conducted a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the space station, and docked with the radial port of its core module Tianhe at 4:29 p.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), said the CMSA.

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, the CMSA said.

The astronaut trio aboard Shenzhou-16 will then enter the Tianhe module and the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-15 mission have got ready for their arrival, it said.

The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 9:31 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time).

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on May 30, 2023 shows astronauts of the Shenzhou-15 mission watching the image that shows Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship conducting a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on May 30, 2023 shows Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship conducting a fast automated rendezvous and docking with the radial port of core module Tianhe of the space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on May 30, 2023 shows Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship successfully docking with the radial port of core module Tianhe of the space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on May 30, 2023 shows Shenzhou-16 crewed spaceship successfully docking with the radial port of core module Tianhe of the space station. (Xinhua/Li Jie)