China's 2nd space lab reaches Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre

BEIJING: China's ambitious second orbiting space lab which may enable two astronauts to live in space for up to 30 days for undertaking a series of experiments has been delivered to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, state media reported today.

The lab, Tiangong-2, was sent from here on Thursday by railway and reached the launch centre yesterday, marking the start of the Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft missions, a statement issued by China's manned space engineering office said.

Assembly and tests will begin at the centre ahead of the lab's launch scheduled for mid-September, it said.

Tiangong-2 will be capable of receiving manned and cargo spaceships and would be a testing place for systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refuelling in space, the statement said.

It will also be involved in experiments on aerospace medicine, space sciences, on-orbit maintenance and space station technologies, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

China's first space lab Tiangong-1, which was launched in 2011 with a designed life of two years, ended its data service earlier this year. It had docked with Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertook a series of experiments.

China plans to set up a permanent space station by 2022 on the lines of Russian space station Mir, currently in the orbit.

The manned space engineering office said in March that the orbit of Tiangong-1 would descend gradually in several months until the orbiter eventually burn up in the atmosphere.

With two capsules for conducting experiments and holding resources, Tiangong-2 features major improvements from its predecessor, including an improved propel sub-system. The new space lab will also carry three experiments designed by the winners of a Hong Kong middle school design contest, it said.

Carrier rockets to launch Tiangong-2 and Shenzhou-11 will be transferred to Jiuquan next month. Shenzhou-11, which will carry two astronauts to dock with Tiangong-2 in space, has passed initial tests and its crew members are undergoing intensive training, the statement added.