China launches the first module of its new space station 0:36
(CNN) -
The space race is inherent in the 21st century.
More and more private companies and governments are joining the competition.
And the last strong piece was played by China, after the launch of the first module of what will be its space station.
China successfully launched the first module of its space station on Thursday morning from the Wenchang launch center on the southern island of Hainan, according to the Chinese National Space Administration.
China successfully launches the first module of its space station
Because of this, the International Space Station (ISS) may have its days numbered as the only place of continuous human presence in space, ending an era of international space cooperation.
With this project, China wants to show the world that it is a leading player in the space race and science, while the United States seeks alternatives to an increasingly ancient ISS, according to David Burbach, professor of National Security Affairs at the US. Naval War College, who spoke to CNN in a personal capacity, not on behalf of the US Navy.
Here's how the ISS compares to China's future space station.
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International Space Station
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The first piece of the ISS was launched in November 1998, when a Russian Proton rocket sent the Zaryá module into Earth orbit.
Currently, the ISS is made up of three main modules: Destiny, which is the American laboratory;
Columbus, which is the research laboratory of the European Space Agency;
and Kibo (Japanese word meaning "hope"), which is Japan's experimentation module.
Furthermore, the ISS has a total weight of 420,000 kilograms and includes a living space of 388 cubic meters.
In addition, it has a network of solar panels with a length of 35 meters.
Although the United States' NASA has a key role in this station (annual expenditure of US $ 1,321 million for its operation in fiscal year 2021), the ISS is a multinational project.
The countries that collaborated in the construction of the ISS are the following: the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, Brazil, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
NASA considered in 2018 that the ISS will continue to function after 2028, despite the fact that it was originally conceived as a 30-year project.
Chinese space station
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April 29, 2021 will remain as a commemorative date for China, as it marks the day on which the central module of what will be its space station was launched.
This first module is called Tianhe, which means “harmony of the heavens”.
It has a total length of 16.6 meters, a maximum diameter of 4.2 meters and a living space of 50 cubic meters, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Meanwhile, according to the Chinese state agency Xinhua, the space station is called Tiangong, which means "heavenly palace."
It will be just one-fifth the size of the ISS, making it similar to the Russian Mir space station, which operated from 1986 to 2001.
"We do not intend to compete with the ISS in terms of scale," said Gu Yidong, chief scientist for China's Manned Space Program, who was quoted by Scientific American.
It is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2022 and to operate for 10 years, which could be extended to 15.
In the next two years, eleven launches are planned, including four crewed and four cargo missions.
The first manned mission will launch in June this year, in which three astronauts will be sent into orbit for approximately three months to test the life support system and maintenance.
With information from CNN's Katie Hunt.
China Space Station International Space Station NASA