China launched its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 on Thursday, marking another step further in the country’s ambitious space program.
China launched its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 on Thursday, marking another step further in the country’s ambitious space program.
The Tianzhou-1 blasted off into space at 7: 41 p.m. local time (11: 41 GMT) aboard the latest generation Long March-7 Y2 rocket at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan province.
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The cargo spacecraft, which will dock with the Tiangong 2 space lab, is expected to prove to be an « important technological basis » for the construction of China’s space station. China launched the Tiangong-2 in September and its 20-ton core module will be sent in 2018.
The completed 60-ton station is expected to operate for about 10 years and enter into full service in 2022 to support three-person crews for six-month expeditions, Seattle Times reported.
