China's First Space Lab Module in Good Condition

Oct 10, 2011     Email"> PrintText Size

China's first space lab module were in good condition and all tests went on "smoothly" during the past week, according to a statement issued by the country's space project authorities Thursday.

The unmanned module, Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace-1, blasted off on Sept. 29 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's desert area.

Tiangong-1 switched to the orbit of 362 kilometers high and had orbited the Earth for 109 times by 6:00 p.m. Thursday, the statement said.

Tests on the module's remote control system, video/audio equipments, temperature/humidity sensors, docking facilities and other functions had been conducted successfully, it added.

It also revealed that the Jiuquan Launch Center and other units were preparing for the launch of the Shenzhou-8 unmanned spacecraft, which is scheduled to join the Tiangong-1 later this year.

Shenzhou-8 and Tiangong-1 are expected to perform China's first space docking at a height of 340 kilometers above the earth's surface.

(Source: Xinhua)