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Source: The post is based on the article “China launches second space station module” published in The Hindu on 25th July 2022.
What is the News?
China has successfully launched its second space station lab module named Wentian.
What is Wentian?
The Wentian (which means “quest for the heavens”) laboratory module is the second module of China’s Tiangong space station.
Purpose: The lab module will provide a bigger platform for scientific experiments in space. It will also function as a backup of the core module, Tianhe.
Features: The module is equipped with laboratory cabinets for life ecology, biotechnology and variable gravity science.
What is Tiangong Space Station?
It is a planned Chinese Permanent space station to be placed in Low Earth orbit.
The Space Station roughly will have one-fifth the mass of the International Space Station.
The space station consists of three modules — the core module, Tianhe and two lab modules, Wentian and Mengtian.
The Tianhe module was launched in 2021 and the Mengtian module is set to be launched in October 2022.
