On April 29, 2021, China launched the core module of its Space Station. This is an important milestone in the country’s ambitious plan of establishing a permanent human presence in space.
The module that was launched is called Tianhe. The Space Station China is building is called Tiangong.
Tiangong
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Tiangong means “Heavenly Space”.
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It is to begin its operations in 2022.
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Still eleven more modules are to be launched and assembled to complete the space station.
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According to the Chinese Government, the completed Space Station will look like the “Mir Station”. Mir was a Russian Space Station that orbited between 1980s and 2001.
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The Chinese Space Station, Tiangong will orbit the earth in the low earth orbit at a height of 400 to 450 kilometres.
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The lifespan of the space station is fifteen years.
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It weighs more than 90 tonnes.
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The size of Tiangong Space Station will be a quarter the size of the International Space Station.
Previous Chinese Mission
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In 2011, Chinese launched the Tiangong – 1. It was the first prototype module that laid groundwork for the permanently crewed station.
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In 2016, the second lab Tiangong – 2 was launched.
International Space Station
After International Space Station retires, Tiangong will be the only space station orbiting the earth.
Lunar Missions
The Chinese are also planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia. This space station might either be placed in the orbit of the moon or on its surface.