China Confident in Launch of Tiangong-1（在线收听）

Chinese scientists and officials are confident in the upcoming launch of its first space lab module Tiangong-1. The launch time for the space module has been set.

CRI's Zhang Shuangfeng reports from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

 
Officials revealed the launch date of the Tiangong-1 at the last press conference before the takeoff.

Wu Ping, a spokeswoman of China's manned space program, confirmed that Tiangong-1 will be launched on Thursday night, local time.

"Fuel is being injected into the Long March-2F carrier rocket in preparation for the planned launch. It is scheduled to be launched between 9:16 p.m. and 9:31 p.m. on Sept. 29th."

Wu said China remains fully confident in the launch, although it is a risky scientific activity.

"Statistics show that among the more than 1,600 space launches around the world since 1990, 93.7 percent were successful, while China has successfully conducted 94.4 percent of its nearly 130 space launches."

Tiangong-1 is designed with a two-year life time and will conduct unmanned docking experiments with Shenzhou 8, which will be launched early November.

The spokesman said docking could be a challenge for China's space program.

"The rendezvous and docking is widely accepted as a technical difficulty. Not all of the docking missions are perfectly carried out, including recent ones on the International Space Station. China's first docking experiment also faces challenges. With that in mind, we have modified the carrier rocket, run simulation training on earth and made more than 200 emergency plans."

The two-moduled space lab will be large enough to accommodate three astronauts.

China is also planning to launch two spacecrafts next year to dock with Tiangong-1.

Tiangong-1 will also carry into space 300 flags of the International Astronautical Federation.

For CRI, this is Shuangfeng in Jiuquan.