China’s spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-7 sailed into the ocean from the Yangtze River on Tuesday. She was accompanied by Yuanwang-6. Yuanwang-5 also set out days before. The three will sail into the Pacific and Indian oceans, including maritime tracking of the manned spaceflight Shenzhou-11 in autumn this year. Shenzhou-11 will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2, China’s second orbiting space lab, carrying two astronauts to live in space for up to 30 days.
CAS news release, July 27, 2016
Satellite tracking ship Yuanwang-7 starts maiden voyage