China's unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 and its space lab module Tiangong-1, which joined together early Thursday, will fly together for about 12 days and then conduct the second space docking at an appropriate time, China's manned space program spokeswoman said.

Spokeswoman Wu Ping Thursday told a press conference that the two spacecraft will fly together for another two days after their second docking.

Shenzhou-8 is set to return to Earth on the evening of Nov. 17, Wu said.