China's Tianzhou-7 cargo craft separates from space station combination

A Long March-7 Y8 carrier rocket carrying cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-7 blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Tianzhou-7 cargo craft, tasked with carrying supplies for China's space station, separated from the station combination at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) and switched to independent flight, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The cargo craft will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in a controlled manner soon. Most of its components will burn up and be destroyed during the process, while a small amount of debris will fall into designated safe waters in the South Pacific, the CMSA said.

The CMSA has planned a total of two cargo supply missions in 2024, including Tianzhou-7 and Tianzhou-8.

Tianzhou-7 was launched on Jan. 17 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan. Tianzhou-8 has been rescheduled for mid-November due to the impact of Super Typhoon Yagi on Wenchang.