China to Launch Its First Cargo Spacecraft Tianzhou-1 in April This Year

China is planning to launch its first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 in April this year, according to some reports that claimed that Tianzhou-1 will be able to transport six tonnes of supplies to China’s future space station. The current Chinese spacecraft can carry a maximum of three astronauts and 300 kg of material.

The China Manned Space Agency revealed that the cargo spacecraft module will be assembled at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre in Hainan after it arrives next week there. The assembled module will also be tested there.

Advancing China’s space program is among the top priorities set by President Xi Jinping to enhance national security and defense of the country. People’s Daily, the official Communist Party newspaper in China, reported the plans for Tianzhou-1 on the front page.

Tianzhou-1 will be launched through Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in south China’s island province of Hainan. China had recently tested the Long March-7 Y2 carrier rocket. The cargo spacecraft will be able to carry large quantities of food, oxygen, water, and other items for astronauts.

The take-off weight of Tianzhou-1 is about 13 tonnes. It can remain in orbit for three months, and will be docked at the Tiangong-2 space lab, located 393 km above the Earth’s surface. Two Chinese astronauts have already spent 33 days in the Tiangong-2 space lab.

China is working on its plans to send the central module of its orbital space station in 2018. The 80-tonne preliminary structure is expected to be in place by 2020. Chinese space agency also hopes to make the station operational by 2022.

Despite its complete focus and advancement in space science, China is still lagging the Russia and United States. In 2013, China’s Jade Rabbit rover was able to make a landing on lunar surface, but soon suffered technical glitches. The American Defense Department thinks the primary aim of China’s space program is to prevent other nations from using space-based assets in a crisis.