Photo shows high-definition image of Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 sent back by an accompanying satellite. [Photo: Chinese Academy of Sciences]

An accompanying satellite launched from the space lab Tiangong-2 last Sunday at 7:31 am sent back high-definition images of the Tiangong-2 and the Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft on Wednesday.

The high-definition images were taken by a high-resolution camera on the accompanying satellite, which was launched into space aboard Tiangong-2 on September 15, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, designer of the satellite. The satellite, which weighs 47 kilograms and is the size of a printer, has both a high-resolution camera and infrared camera installed on it for monitoring the space lab. The first 300 photos of Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 taken by the infrared camera were sent back on Monday.

The satellite will fly over the Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 at the end of this month and finish the second photography mission.

The Shenzhou-11 was launched on October 17 with two astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong and docked with Tiangong-2 on October 19.

Shenzhou-11, China's sixth manned spacecraft, will undertake the country's longest-ever space mission. The two astronauts will spend a total of 33 days in space.

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