China launches first module for new space station

China on Thursday launched the first module of its new space station, state television showed,a milestone in Beijing's ambitious plan to place a permanent human presence in space.

The Tianhe core module, which houses life support equipment and a living space for astronauts, was launched from Wenchang in China's tropical Hainan province on a Long-March 5B rocket.

The space station is expected to become fully operational in 2022 after around 10 missions to bring up more parts and assemble them in orbit.

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Billions of dollars have been poured into space exploration as China seeks to assert its rising global stature and growing technological might, following in the footsteps of the United States and Russia.

Live footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed space programme employees cheering as the rocket powered its way through the atmosphere billowing flames from the launch site.

Once completed, the Chinese space station is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometres above Earth for 15 years.

While China does not plan to use its space station for international cooperation on the scale of the ISS, Beijing has said it is open to foreign collaboration without giving details of the scope of that cooperation.

The country has come a long way since its first satellite in 1970.

It put the first Chinese "taikonaut" in space in 2003 and sent a probe in to Mars orbit earlier this year.

China launched the Tiangong-1 lab, its first prototype module intended to lay the groundwork for the permanent station, in September 2011.

China has prioritised space exploration in recent years, with the aim of becoming a major space power by 2030.

By 2045, it hopes to establish a programme operating thousands of space flights a year and carrying tens of thousands of tonnes of cargo and passengers.

(With inputs from agencies)