CMSE NEWS, At 20：00 November 3, 2011(Beijing time), Tiangong1 and Shenzhou 8 have successfully completed the second Rendezvous and Docking Test.

 The main purpose of the second Rendezvous and Docking Test is to testify the functions of docking assembly’s separation and that of the spaceship’s retreat, and the performance of the Rendezvous & Docking instruments under the sunlight areas. The success of the second Rendezvous and Docking Test further enables the verification of the functions and performance of the Rendezvous & Docking instruments and docking mechanism, acquisition of the related data, and the achievement of the anticipated goals.

At 19:24, November 3, 2011, the docking assembly received instructions from Beijing Aerospace Control Center(BACC). 4 minutes later, the Rendezvous and Docking mechanism of the Tiangong1/Shenzhou 8 successfully unlocked, and the assembly successfully separated, and Shenzhou 8 spaceship slowly retreated to the berthing point at the distance of 140 meters. Under the control from the earth, the spacecrafts gradually approached again under the process of touching, capturing, buffering, pulling, and locking, and physically connected to form the assembly again.