But that could change on one of the next Shenzhou docking missions.

Shenzhou VIII, a spaceship launched on Tuesday, linked with the Tiangong I module in the early hours of Thursday, an exercise carried out live on state television.

The country's first space docking, an essential step in building a space station is planned for next year when two unmanned space modules, Tiangong I and Shenzhou VIII, are launched.

The department's chief, Gen. Chang Wanquan, also led last week's docking mission between China's Shenzhou and Tiangong spacecraft.

The maneuver will help China master docking techniques needed for the construction of a space station, likely to be achieved initially by joining one Shenzhou orbiter to another.