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China unveils its space station
Why is it in news?
- China unveiled a replica of its first permanently crewed space station.
- It would replace the international community’s orbiting laboratory and symbolises the country’s major ambitions beyond the earth.
Space Station
- Three astronauts will be permanently stationed in the 60-tonne orbiting lab.
- It will enable the crew to conduct biological and microgravity research.
- Assembly is expected to be completed around 2022.
- The station lifespan- around 10 years.
- The International Space Station — a collaboration between the U.S., Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan — has been in operation since 1998, but is due to be retired in 2024.
- China will then have the only space station in orbit, though it will be much smaller than the ISS which weighs 400 tonnes.
- The country had announced that the lab would be open to “all countries” to conduct science experiments.
Source
The Hindu