China launches first section of its massive space station
The program's first two stages had concluded successfully with six manned spaceflights and two experimental space lab missions.
After the capsule was launched, astronauts on the Shenzhou XII and XIII missions and two cargo ships will be launched within a few months to prepare the module for docking with other parts of the station.
Next year, Tiangong's two space labs, two manned missions and two robotic cargo flights will be made to continue construction of the station.
Once completed, the facility will be capable of docking with multiple crewed and cargo spaceships at the same time and will also be able to link with foreign spacecraft if they have designated docking hatch.
It will be manned by three astronauts in extended shifts that will last several months. During handovers between shifts, the station will accommodate up to six astronauts.
The entire Tiangong station is expected to become fully operational around the end of 2022 and is set to work for about 15 years, mission planners have said.
In addition to its own components, the station will also be accompanied by an optical telescope that will be lifted after the station's completion to fly together with it, according to them.
