China is planning to shoot its first space station “Tiangong I”, or Heavenly Palace I, in 2010, according to Ouyang Ziyuan, China’s chief lunar-exploration scientist.
"Tiangong I”, actually a miniature space station, is constructed by two modules, an experiment module and a resources one.
"Tiangong I” is now under construction and scheduled to go into orbit in 2011 to serve as a docking target for the unmanned Shenzhou VIII spacecraft.
If Shenzhou VIII successfully docks with “Tiangong I” in 2011 as planned, manned spaceships will be launched to dock with “Tiangong I”. Then efforts will follow to improve “Tiangong I” and develop space laboratories.
In addition to the docking technology, China also needs to achieve technological breakthroughs in the length of stay in space for astronauts, the long-term unattended operation of a spacecraft and transferring supplies by cargo spacecraft, according to official website of China's manned space program, cmse.gov.cn.
China is now in the second phase of a three-step plan that the nation drafted to carry out its manned space program.
According to the official website, the second phase includes the launch of the target spacecraft "Tiangong I”, and two space laboratories, “Tiangong II” and “Tiangong III”.
Two unmanned spaceships and five manned spaceships will also be launched during the phase to dock on the Tiangong crafts to test the docking technology.
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