China's Shenzhou-19 astronauts opened the hatch door of the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft and began to move supplies and equipment to China's space station Tiangong in orbit on Saturday morning.
The Long March-7 Y9 rocket carrying the spacecraft blasted off at 23:13 Beijing Time (1513 GMT) on Friday from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
After about 10 minutes, the Tianzhou-8 separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. Its solar panels then unfolded.
At 02:32 Beijing Time (1832 GMT) on Saturday, the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft successfully docked at the rear docking port of the Tianhe core module.
At 08:26 Beijing Time (0026 GMT), astronaut Cai Xuzhe opened the hatch and entered the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft.
Weighing about six tons, the cargo includes supplies for the astronauts, propellant, application experiments and test equipment, with over 400 kilograms of scientific application supplies.
The cargo also includes supplies for the Shenzhou-19 crew for the Spring Festival -- the grandest annual traditional holiday for the Chinese -- in January.
The Shenzhou-19 astronauts on board the space station will continue to carry out cargo transfer and other related work as per schedule.
China launched the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship on Oct 30, sending a fresh crew of three astronauts -- Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze -- to its space station for another six-month mission.
Shenzhou-19 crew transfers Tianzhou-8 cargo to space station
Shenzhou-19 crew transfers Tianzhou-8 cargo to space station
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed strong optimism in the upcoming G20 Summit reaching fruitful results in an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV) prior to the 19th G20 Summit in Brazil.
The 19th G20 Summit is to take place in Brazil's city of Rio de Janeiro from Nov 18 to 19, under the theme of 'building a just world and a sustainable planet'. The summit will seek to address several global issues and development challenges, according to the Brazilian president.
"We will initiate the establishment of the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty. I believe this is a remarkable initiative, proposed within the G20 but also open to all countries worldwide. Additionally, we are delving deeply into discussions on energy transition and climate issues. Research has proven that humanity has no viable living space beyond the Earth. Therefore, rather than seeking other planets, we should focus on improving the quality of the Earth's water and air, enabling us to live with dignity and respect," he said.
"At the same time, we aim to revisit the Bretton Woods system, particularly the roles of financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Currently, these institutions are not serving their intended purpose of helping developing countries in need of financing. Instead, they have become tools of oppression on impoverished nations. Today, Africa's debt has reached 900 billion U.S. dollars, and the interest payments surpass the investments these nations can make in development. I am advocating for converting part of African nations' debt to investments in infrastructure within Africa. We will also advance women's empowerment to ensure they can participate equally in political, economic and cultural activities," Lula added.
"Therefore, I am highly optimistic that this will be a productive and friendly G20 Leaders' Summit. I believe it will be a learning opportunity for all of us. Moreover, many people will be introduced to the magnificent city of Rio de Janeiro for the first time," he further said.
Created in 1999, the G20 is a main forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues. It comprises the European Union, the African Union and 19 countries, including China and Brazil.
Brazil's president optimistic about G20 summit's outcomes
