China stakes its claim on high frontier with launch of space lab
Carrying world’s most accurate clock and experiments from Hong Kong students, Tiangong 2 moves country closer to a permanent station
China has moved a step forward in its ambitious pursuit of building a permanent space station, with the successful launch of its Tiangong 2 experimental space lab into orbit on Thursday night.
Carrying Tiangong 2, a Long March 2F rocket blasted off at 10.04pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre deep in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, ahead of being sent into orbit nine minutes and 35 seconds later, according to a live broadcast on China Central TV.
With a length of 10.4 metres and a launch mass of 8,600kg, Tiangong 2 is China’s second space lab after Tiangong 1, sent into orbit in 2011.
Tiangong means “heavenly palace” in Chinese.
An atomic clock regarded as the most accurate in the world and a microwave altimeter for ocean measurements were part of the payload on the lab.