China to Launch Tiangong-1 Space Module（在线收听）

After a series of delays, China's space labotory Tiangong 1, or Heavenly Palace, is finally ready to be sent into space. And as Dominc Swire reports, the mission represents a huge step forward in China's space programme.

 
Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon in 1969. At the time the US space programme was light-years ahead of the rest of the world. But fast forward over 40 years and China's catching up fast.

After a spate of delays China's unmanned space module Tiangong 1 is finally set to be launched. It will perform the nation's first ever space docking procedure with another unmanned spacecraft.

Alian Wang is a researcher in planetary science at US-based Washington University in St Louis.

"You can exercise the docking technology, that is one big step forward. I think China hasn't demonstrated this capability and now they have decided to do it. That's very important. If that is successful I would congratulate my colleagues, the engineers and scientists in China. That's a big step forward."

A successful docking of Tiangong-1 will represent the first step towards China's long term goal of building a space station. Professor Wang says this will be a huge boost for scientific research, and for further space exploration.

"Once you establish this semi-permanent orbit then you can think about moving forward to use it as an intermediate step to move forward to other planets or satellites."

As the Chinese space programme seems to go from strength to strength, the situation is very different in the United States. Earlier this year US space agency NASA wound up its 30 year old space shuttle programme.

Robert Chesson is an expert in human spaceflight at the European Space Agency and has collaborated with the Chinese space programme. He says the launch of Tiangong 1 is unlikely to change America's strategy in space.

"I am not convinced that a development in the Chinese human space programme is going to fire the Americans into some new space race with China. I can't see that at all."

China hopes to effectively transform the Tiangong-1 space module into a manned space laboratory from where it can further shine a light into the darkness of space.

For CRI, I'm Dominic Swire.