China launched Mengtian module of its space station from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in Hainan

The unmanned Mengtian is the last of three modules that will comprise the space station of China. Mengtian translates into "Dreaming of the Heavens." This space station would be the second permanently inhabited outpost in low-earth orbit after the NASA-led International Space Station. The launching was from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in the southern island province of Hainan. China began construction of its space station in April 2021 with the launch of the Tianhe module. This was the main living quarters for astronauts. Later, in July this year it launched Wentian. This is a laboratory module for carrying out scientific experiments. The 23-tonne Mengtian is the third portion. It is also a laboratory module and it would dock with an axial port at one end of Tianhe. The T-shape space station will be complete when the individual components occupy their respective positions. 'Dreaming of the Heavens': China launches final module to space station. The design of the Chinese space station is for a lifespan of at least 10 years. It will fulfil the ambition of China of having it in a low-earth orbit because NASA's aging ISS would cease operation by the end of the decade.

The Chinese-built "Celestial Palace", as the space station is known at home, will also be an emblem of China's growing power and self-sufficiency in its space endeavors. It will be a challenger to the United States in the domain, after being isolated from the ISS and other collaboration with NASA. Moreover, the space station will also cap President Xi Jinping's 10 years as leader of China's ruling Communist Party. The plans of China vis-à-vis the station's lifetime is to conduct more than 1,000 scientific experiments. These would cover subjects like how plants adapt in space to how fluids behave in microgravity. Once the ISS retires, the demand would rise for use of the Chinese space station. China has already approved several proposals from countries ranging from Switzerland to India in the first batch of experiments. China would require two more missions this year before its station is ready for operation. Incidentally, China became the third country to put a man in space with its own rocket, in October 2003, after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

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Chhath puja is a four-day festival for women of Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and parts of Odisha and Nepal