China will launch an unmanned space module later this year as a preliminary step towards developinga Chinese space station. The 8.5t module, called Tiangong-1 (Heavenly Palace), is currently undergoing testing. It will blast off from the top of a Long March 2F rocket carrier. A spokesman for China Manned Space Engineering Office, Xu Xuanze, said Tiangong-1 will be the target of an unmanned docking by the Shenzhou-VIIl spacecraft, wb ich will be launched two months after the module. This will be China's first attempt at an unmanned rendezvous and docking.
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