Chinese space station's second module launched, to back up operations

China has launched the second of three modules of its the space station it is building similar to the International Space Station.

The uncrewed module, called Wentian, was launched by China’s most powerful rocket Long March 5B at 2:22 pm (local time) from the Wenchang launch centre on China’s tropical island of Hainan on Sunday, state media reported.

The 23-ton module is almost 18 metres long. It will be mostly used for scientific experiments but has three sleeping areas for astronauts.

Wentian will have to go and dock with Tianhe, the first module of the space station, that was set up in April 2021. The ambitious space station, called Tiangong (“heavenly palace”), will have a third module joining it in October this year.

Also read: China successfully launches first crewed mission for space station construction

Wentian will also act as a backup platform to control the space station in case of a failure in Tianhe, the central module.

With the third module to be attached by the end of this year, China will be the fastest to build a space station – in one and a half years. The International Space Station, a collaboration between the US, UK and European countries took 12 years whereas Soviet Union’s Mir built in 1981 took 10 years.

China has been barred from the International Space Station since 2011, when the United States restricted NASA from joining hands with the country.

In the space race with countries like US, China has however shown that it can match up quite competently. It has landed a rover on Mars and has also sent probes to the Moon. Unlike the ISS, Beijing is open to collaboration with other countries on its space station.