Later This Year China Plans Six Space Rocket Launches

China has scheduled a space rocket launch at the end of 2022. (Antara)

JAKARTA - China is reportedly planning to launch its space rocket at the end of 2022. The launch was aimed at completing the construction of the Tiangong national space station.

This was conveyed by the director of the China Manned Space Engineering Office, Hao Chun on Sunday. Hao stated that China will launch six space flight missions.

"According to the plan, we will have six missions by 2022 to complete the national orbital space station," Hao said as quoted by China Central Television.

Launches of rockets carrying modules and other equipment to the space station are scheduled for May, June, July and October this year, the official said.

According to SputnikNews, China began building its first long-range modular orbital station on April 29, 2021, when the Tianhe core module was successfully launched into orbit. The station will consist of two additional laboratory modules, Wentian and Mengtian, which are expected to be launched this year. The station will accommodate three regular mission crew members and six when new crews arrive.

The Tianhe core module is the largest spacecraft ever built in China, providing shelter, navigation, and station control. The main module is equipped with two docking ports for the Wentian and Mengtian modules and another three docking ports for manned spacecraft and cargo.

On Saturday, Shenzhou-13 successfully landed in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China. Three astronauts returned to Earth after spending 183 days at the Tiangong station, marking the country's longest space mission to date.