China has launched an unmanned spaceship, Shenzhou 8, in a bid to place a manned permanent space station into orbit by 2020.
Shenzhou 8 blasted off from the western city of Jiuquan on board a modified model of the Long March CZ-2F rocket and is scheduled to dock with another craft, the Tiangong (Heavenly Palace) 1 module, about 340km above the earth later this week.
Shenzhou 8 has a length of nine metres, a diameter of 2.8 metres and a lift-off weight of 8.082 tons.
The launch will be followed by two more spaceships – Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 10 – which will join Tiangong in 2012.
The station is planned to be launched in three sections between 2020 and 2022 and is expected to be operational by 2028.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData
