China has launched the first part of a space station that will remain in orbit for at least a decade, as Beijing’s forges ahead in its quest to become a leader in exploring the cosmos.
The 54-metre Long March 5B rocket lifted off from the Wenchang launch site in China’s Hainan province on Thursday and flew south-east through the upper atmosphere before depositing the core module of the station in orbit.
The Tianhe, meaning “harmony of the heavens,” module launch is the first of 11 missions that will add two more components and carry supplies and crew to the station before it becomes fully operational in late 2022.
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