China completes its space station with the assembly of a last module

Based on small steps, China is consolidating its presence in the cosmos.

The Tiangong (“Heavenly Palace”) space station, whose first module was launched into orbit in April 2021, is already almost fully operational.

The last of its three main parts, the Mengtian ("Dreaming of Paradise") lab, completed docking with the rest of the terminal on Tuesday, after a successful launch Monday from the Wenchang base on the island. of Hainan, in the extreme south of the country.

The new module, already attached to the heart of the station, will be both a scientific work area and a sports activities area for the

, the Chinese astronauts.

The docking marks a milestone for the Chinese space program at a time when the International Space Station (ISS), led by the US NASA and after more than 20 years circling the globe, is beginning to become outdated and could cease operation at the end of this decade.

China has not participated in it since 2011 due to the US veto.

From Washington, each advance of Beijing in this new era of the space race is observed with concern.

The Chinese mission has been completed in a span of around 13 hours.

The Long March-5B Y4 rocket, a white projectile of more than 50 meters, propelled out of Hainan at 3:37 p.m. (local time) with the new module inside.

A few minutes later, Deng Hongqin, director of the launch center, assured that the module had already reached its target orbit.

At 4:27 a.m. (local time) this Tuesday, the coupling of the new piece, weighing about 23.3 tons, 17.8 meters long and 4.2 meters in diameter, was concluded.

It was the largest payload ever launched into space by a Chinese rocket, according to the official

Joining the central and main part of the terminal, called Tianhe (“Heavenly Harmony”), and the Wentian (“Heavenly Search”) laboratory, the Chinese station has already taken on the characteristic T-shape that defines it.

The Tiangong base plans to remain in space, orbiting about 400 kilometers above the earth's surface, for the next 15 years.

Its size, similar to the old Russian MIR, is around a quarter the size of the ISS and it has been designed to house teams of three astronauts for long stays.

At the moment, three taikonauts who reached the construction in June live in it.

Among them is Liu Yang, who became the first Chinese astronaut in 2012.

With their scientific cabinets

The new Mengtian module has various scientific cabinets, will allow experiments to be carried out inside and outside the cabin, and will be specially designed for research in a microgravity environment.

Its deployment adds to the capacity of the Wentian laboratory, successfully docked in July, and intended for biological experimentation.

Among other tests, according to the official Xinhua agency in July, samples from a variety of plant and animal species will be studied to reveal the effects of microgravity on growth, development and metabolism, and how to establish a controlled ecosystem of life.

China aspires to understand "the influence of gravity on the origin and evolution of life" and will seek ways to protect astronauts from damage caused by radiation.

The Tiangong station is a key leg of China's manned space program.

“It is our space laboratory,” Liu Gang, one of those responsible for the program, explained to the aforementioned agency.

"If used well, we can do a lot of experiments that can't be done on land."

The intention, he added, is "to be able to turn the results into necessary products in our lives or in our national economy."

China, which launched its first manned spacecraft in 2003, has boosted its space capabilities as it has risen to the status of a world superpower: conquering space is also a way of reclaiming the place it has believed for decades to be its rightful place on the globe. .

It completed its first spacewalk in 2008 and to date has launched 14 astronauts, including three women, into orbit.

In 2019, he landed the Chang'e 4 probe on the far side of the moon;

in 2021 the Tianwen-1 probe landed on Mars.

The innovators of the world

Scientific and technological development linked to the aerospace industry are key for Beijing.

"We have witnessed great successes on multiple fronts, such as manned space flights, lunar and Martian exploration," highlights the report presented by the country's president, Xi Jinping, during the 20th Congress of the Communist Party, the great five-year political conclave held a couple of weeks ago.

"China has joined the ranks of the world's innovators," underlines the report, which emphasizes the "achievements" of Xi's decade in power, who has just revalidated an unprecedented third term.

Among the Asian giant's medium-term plans is the exploration of nearby asteroids in the next two years, taking the first steps to establish a scientific base on the Moon before the end of the decade and carrying out a manned mission to Mars in 2033.

The rapid developments are viewed with growing concern in Washington.

“Chinese space activities will increasingly challenge US interests throughout the 2030s,” asserts a newly declassified 2021 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"China is moving steadily toward its goal of becoming a world-class space leader, with the intention of matching or surpassing the United States by 2045," he warns.

The report estimates that by 2030 Chinese space activities will increasingly "erode" the national security, trade and global influence advantages the United States has amassed from its leadership in space.

China's space activities support its multipolar worldview and strengthen Beijing's ability to erode US influence in the military, economic, and diplomatic spheres.

From Beijing, on the other hand, it is assured that its space program "aims to facilitate global consensus on the shared responsibility of peoples in the use of outer space for peaceful purposes and the safeguarding of its security for the benefit of all humanity", according to a recent article in the communist government news agency.

China, it continues, has actively promoted international cooperation on its space station, including collaboration with the European Space Agency and cooperation with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in order to apply for scientific research projects on the station. space by scientists around the world, according to Xinhua.

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