China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docks with space station combination

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows the crew of Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time),

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

The astronaut trio aboard the spaceship will then enter the Tianhe module and the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-16 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 11:14 a.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

Technical personnel work at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows astronauts of the Shenzhou-16 mission preparing to join the Shenzhou-17 crew. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Oct. 26, 2023 shows Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe. China's Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination on Thursday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The spaceship made a fast, automated rendezvous and docking with the front port of the space station's core module Tianhe at 5:46 p.m. Thursday (Beijing Time).

The whole process took approximately 6.5 hours, said the CMSA. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)