cha ys the ten meter long cylindrical module jiuquan 1 will lift off from the jiuquan satellite launch center in northwest china on thursday. tiangong means heavenly palace in chinese. the lab is already set at the launch pad. tiangong will dock with into orbit. the lab is designed to test the highly critical technologies needed to build china's space station. china's space project is said to be strongly connected with the military's fair. the project is said to increase tensions with the international community. >> 1970, china became the world's fifth space power when it put its first satellite into orbit. its experience with weather and communication satellites helped china to commercially launch satellites for overseas clients. in the 1990s, the country announced a three-stage manned space project. the first stage was the development of a manned spacecraft. thseco now in progre involved the launch of a space lab and the acquisition of docking and other technologies needed for short stays in space. the final stage is the construction of a full-fledged space station for extended stays

china's first space laboratory tiangong 1 was launched from the jiuquan satellite launch center in gansu province thursday night at :16 p.m. local time. it's scheduled to dock with another unmanned spacecraft within two months. this will be the first step among a series of experiments planned by china to acquire the know-how for building a space station. premier wen jiabao observed the launch from the gansu province space center. president hu jintao and vice president xi zin ping watched the coverage live in beijing. china is celebrating its 62nd anniversary of the foundation of the people's republic on saturday, october 1st. the launch will help to promote the nation's space technology at home and abroad. however, observers say that a chinese space station could add to international concern over its possible military applications. >>> in 1970, china became the world's fifth space power when it put its first satellite into orbit. its experience with weather and communications satellites helped china to commercially launch satellites for overseas clients. in the 1990s, the country announc

china's first space laboratory tiangong 1 was lunched from the jiuquan satellite province thursday night at :16 p.m. local time. it's scheduled to dock with another unmanned spacecraft within two months. this will be the first step among a series of experiments planned by china to acquire the know-how for building a space station. premier wen jiabao observed the launch from the gansu province space center. president hu jintao watched live in bay ching. beijing. the launch will help to promote the nation's space technology at home and abroad. however, observers say that a chinese space station could add to international concern over its possible military applications. >>> in 1970, china became the world's fifth space power when it put its first satellite into orbit. its experience with weather and communications satellites helped china to commercially launch satellites for overseas clients. in the 1990s, the country announced a three-stage manned space project. the first stage was the development of a manned spacecraft. the second, now in progress, involves the launch of a space lab and t