The three Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft have reached their destination Thursday, BBC News reported.
Nie Haisheng, Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping started their 15-day mission on Tuesday with the launch of the Shenzou-10. The Xinhua news agency reported the spacecraft's automated dock at 1:11 p.m. Beijing time (1:11 a.m. EST).
A successful seal was confirmed seven minutes later and at 4:17 p.m. Beijing time, the astronauts finished their pressure tests and boarded the Tiangong-1 space station.
"The Shenzhou-10 spacecraft has been successfully launched and precisely put into orbit, which means that our country's fifth manned space mission has succeeded in the first phase," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a televised message sent to the astronauts.
One of the trip's highlights will be Wang - the second Chinese female in space - giving a video lecture to students on the ground in China on how objects move in space's weightless environment.
"At this very moment, I am sharing the same feeling with everyone," Xi said. "I am very happy and excited."
Tiangong-1 has been in orbit for more than a year and will be replaced by Tiangong-2 in a year or two, but Chinese officials do not know when.
"You have made Chinese people feel proud of ourselves," Xi said to the three astronauts. "You have trained and prepared yourselves carefully and thoroughly, so I am confident in your completing the mission successfully."
They will spend the next 12 days at the space station with an ultimate goal of advancing China's space presence. China is hoping to become the third nation to send independently manned space stations into orbit, joining Russia and the United States. Their space program is growing rapidly and has become a source of great pride for the nation.
Their expected return date is either June 25 or 26 and they will land in Inner Mongolia.
"I wish you success and look forward to your triumphant return," Xi said.
