CASC prepares for new mission in space Zhao Lei

Editor's note: An increasing number of Chinese companies are emerging on the world stage as they strive to establish their brands outside the country. This report, the seventh in the series, is by Zhao Lei.

China plans to open a second space laboratory and launch its sixth manned space mission next year, according to the China Academy of Space Technology.

The Tiangong-2 lab will test life support technology in space for the country's future space station. After its launch, the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft will be lifted by a Long March-2F rocket to dock with and then deliver astronauts to the space lab, said officials at the academy, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.