China sends Wentian lab module into space in a first for manned Tiangong station

Name: China’s Shenzhou 14 mission begins mission to finish the Tiangong space station
Uploaded: 2022-07-24T07:08:05.000Z
Duration: 1 min 29 s
Description: China’s Shenzhou 14 mission begins mission to finish the Tiangong space station

The Wentian lab module will help carry out cutting-edge experiments in life sciences and biotechnology

This is the first time in China’s space history that a docking will take place with astronauts present at Tiangong

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The Wentian laboratory module, packed inside the Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket, blasts off from the Wenchang spaceport in southern China. Photo: Xinhua

Ling Xin

Published: 3:08pm, 24 Jul 2022Updated: 7:21pm, 24 Jul 2022

China has sent a huge component to its space station to carry out cutting-edge experiments in life sciences and biotechnology, in a first for the country’s manned space programme.

The 17.9 metres (59 feet) tall, 20-tonne Wentian laboratory module, packed inside the Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket, took off on Sunday at 2.22pm Beijing time from the Wenchang spaceport in southern China.

The docking process of the Wentian, the first experiment module of China’s space station Tiangong, will be overseen by the three astronauts aboard the station. Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe arrived at the under-construction Tiangong in early June on a six-month mission.

This is also the first time in China’s space history that a docking will take place with astronauts present on board Tiangong.

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China’s Shenzhou 14 mission begins mission to finish the Tiangong space station

Wentian contains four fridge-size experiment cabinets and 22 external mounting points expected to support a wide range of research at the forefront of space-based life sciences.

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