Soldiers stand in front of the Long March II-F rocket loaded with China's unmanned space module Tiangong-1 before its planned launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province September 29, 2011. (Reuters File Photo)
China will launch its second orbiting space lab Tiangong-2 in the third quarter of this year to firm up its plans to build a manned space station to rival Russian space lab Mir.
As part of China's space lab programme, China also plans to launch the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft, which will carry two astronauts on board, in the fourth quarter of this year to dock with Tiangong-2, according to the programme's spokesperson.
By 2022 China also plans set up its own space station rival to Russian space station Mir being jointly operated with US.
After its first test flight in the Wenchang satellite launch centre in south China's Hainan Province, a next-generation Long March-7 rocket will put the country's first cargo ship Tianzhou-1, which literally means "heavenly vessel," into space in the first half of 2017 to dock with Tiangong-2 and conduct experiments.
During the process, China will verify key technologies including cargo transportation, on-orbit propellant resupply, astronauts' medium-term stay, as well as conduct space science and application experiments on a relatively large scale, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted an official spokesman as saying today.
Preparation for the space lab programme is progressing steadily, according to the spokesperson.
The astronauts to board the Shenzhou-11 are receiving training, while the Tiangong-2, Shenzhou-11, two Long March-2F carrier rockets to be used to lift them into space, the Long March-7 rocket, and the Tianzhou-1 are either being assembled or undergoing assembly examination.
China's multi-billion-dollar space programme, aims to put a permanent manned space station into service around 2022.
The space station is expected to consist of three parts -- a core module attached to two labs, each weighing about 20 tonnes.
China already launched its first space lab, Tiangong-1, in September 2011 and has conducted two dockings with the module in the following two years.
The Tiangong-1 has been in service for four years and a half and is in good working condition, which enables it to remain in orbit for continued operation, the spokesperson said.