China launches key module of space station planned for 2022

Visitors stand near a giant screen displaying the images of the Tianhe space station at an exhibition featuring the development of China's space exploration on the country's Space Day at China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing. REUTERS/TINGSHU WANG
Visitors stand near a giant screen displaying the images of the Tianhe space station at an exhibition featuring the development of China's space exploration on the country's Space Day at China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing. REUTERS/TINGSHU WANG

BEIJING – China launched an unmanned module on Thursday containing what will become living quarters for three crews on a permanent space station it plans to complete by the end of 2022.

The module, named “Tianhe”, or “Harmony of the Heavens”, was launched on the Long March 5B, China’s largest carrier rocket, at 11:23 a.m. from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in Hainan.

Tianhe is one of three main components of what would be China’s first self-developed space station, rivaling the only other station in service – the International Space Station (ISS).

The ISS is backed by the United State (US), Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada. China was barred from participating by the US.(Reuters)

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