Heavenly Harmony: China to launch space station core module

The launch, to take place as early as Thursday night, is the latest big step forward for China’s space exploration programme and the first of 11 missions to build and supply the space station for a three-person crew.

China plans to launch the core module for its first permanent space station this week in the latest big step forward for the country’s space exploration programme. The Tianhe, or “Heavenly Harmony” module is set to be hurtled into space aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang Launch Center on the southern island of Hainan. The launch could come as early as Thursday night if all goes as planned. It would be the first of 11 missions to build and supply the space station for a three-person crew.