Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 29 -- At 11:23 on April 29, 2021, the Long March 5B carrier rocket successfully sent the Tianhe Core Module, the first spacecraft of China's space station project, into space from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. The mission achieved a complete success. This milestone feat marks the official start of the in-orbit construction of China's space station project.

China's Space Station is a manned space station independently built and operated by China, consisting of three modules: the Tianhe Core Module, the Wentian Laboratory Module and the Mengtian Laboratory Module.

As the management and control center of the space station, the Tianhe Core Module was the first module launched into orbit. In accordance with mission arrangements, the in-orbit construction of the space station was completed in 2022. It is capable of long-term manned scientific experiments, technological tests and comprehensive development and utilization of space resources in near-Earth orbit, marking its entry into the application and development phase.

(Source: Xinhuanet)