[Playback] China's cargo spacecraft refuels space lab in orbit

China's first cargo spacecraft, the Tianzhou-1, has begun to refuel the Tiangong-2 space lab in orbit.[Photo:cnstock.com]

China's first cargo spacecraft has refueled the Tiangong-2 space lab in orbit for the first time.

Tianzhou-1, which was launched April 20th from Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, successfully completed an automated docking with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab on April 22nd.

Tianzhou-1 began to refill Tiangong-2's liquid propellant tanks in orbit on April 23rd, the first time China's space authorities have conducted this maneuver. The refueling procedure, which is much more complicated than refueling vehicles on land, requires 29 steps and lasts for several days at a time.