China's Shenzhou XXI crewed spaceship docks with space station combination

(ECNS) -- China's Shenzhou XXI crewed spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination early Saturday morning, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The spaceship got off the ground at 11:44 pm on Friday as its carrier, a 20-story-tall Long March 2F rocket, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's Gobi Desert.

According to its docking program, the spacecraft would spend about three-and-a-half hours to approach and connect with the front port of the Tianhe core module, the central piece of the Tiangong.

Following the docking, the Shenzhou XXI crew would use a certain period of time on preparatory work, such as removing their pressure suits and wearing the intravehicular work suits, to make ready for their entry into the space station.