"Successfully building a space station is a sign of the maturity of a country's space technology," Pang Zhihao, a space expert, told the Global Times.
Pang said that a space station will help China carry out long-term scientific missions, conduct experiments for new drugs and research related to physics, chemistry and biology. "To achieve that goal, China needs to first master the spacecraft, docking, and spacewalk technology," Pang said.
In September 2011, China launched its first space lab, Tiangong-1, which docked with the crewless Shenzhou-8 spacecraft last November.
In June this year Shenzhou-9 carried astronauts - two men and a woman - to the space lab, validating China's space docking capabilities.
"Tiangong-1 is still in good condition after more than a year in space," said Niu, adding that Tiangong-1, which was designed to be operational for two years, may remain in orbit after the Shenzhou-10 mission.
"Tiangong-1 is part of the early phase of China's space station," said Wang Chi, deputy director of National Space Science Center with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "The year 2013 will be a crucial year for China to prove it has fully mastered space docking technology which will help improve the Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 labs." No timetable has been set for the launch of additional space lab units.
In 2014 China is expected to inaugurate a new generation of rocket, the Long March-5, said Ma Xingrui, CASTC's general manager.
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