SOCIETY
China will soon launch laboratory space
Baku, 20 September (AZERTAC). China is scheduled to launch antariksanya Tiangong a laboratory in the coming days. A new state eight years ago send its first astronauts into orbit, the next eight years could be the only country that has a permanent space station with the crew.
Chinese media reported that Tiangong 1, or "Palace of Heaven", is being prepared for takeoff from the Jiuquan launch facility in Inner Mongolia. The module is the first element of China`s plans to develop a manned space station, which is expected to be fully operational by 2020.
Professor Kwing-Lam Chan of University of Science and Technology of Hong Kong involved in the analysis by the Chinese moon probe program. He explained the purpose of Tiangong`s first mission:
Chan said, "This is a laboratory to test the relationship between the spacecraft. Shenzhou 8 will probably be launched this year and will be combined with Tiangong 1 for testing, but will not transport people. "
State media reported that China`s space program aimed at strengthening "of progress, strength and reputation" of the country. Under the authority of the military, China has been growing rapidly despite the embargo from the European Union and the United States in defense-related technology trade with China.
Shenzhou spacecraft was developed from the Russian Soyuz technology in the late 1990s. The first manned space mission by Chinese occur in 2003, and made the astronaut Colonel Yang Liwei a national hero.