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China's first space lab module Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1, has completed a 180-degree turn-around to prepare itself for the upcoming docking with spacecraft Shenzhou-8, ready to blast off early November in northwestern desert area, a space scientist said Sunday.
The target spacecraft adjusted itself to fly invertedly at 7:34 p.m. under the control of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, said Chen Hongmin, director of the command center for Chinese space program.
Chen said the spacecraft was lowered to the 343-km-high rendezvous and docking orbit on Sunday after a series of maneuver including orbit control and on-orbit testing since its launch into space on Sept. 29.
As of 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tiangong-1 has orbited Earth for 30 days and 22 hours, according to Chen.