Shenzhou XI spacecraft docks with Tiangong II space lab

The graphics shows the procedure of Shenzhou XI manned spacecraft automated docking with Tiangong II space lab on Oct. 19, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- The Shenzhou XI manned spacecraft successfully completed its automated docking with the orbiting Tiangong II space lab at 3:31 am Wednesday Beijing Time, according to Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC).

Shenzhou XI, which was launched Monday morning from northwest China's Gobi Desert, began to approach Tiangong-2 automatically at 1:11 am Wednesday and made contact with the space lab at 3:24 am.

The rendezvous took place in the orbit about 393 kilometers above Earth.