Tiangong-2 ( in English means Heavenly Palace 2) space lab is part of China’s ambitious Project 921-2 space station program aimed at creating a third generation space station.
The 8-tonne module replaces China’s now-defunct Tiangong 1 space lab mission which had ended its operational life in March 2016.
Tiangong-2 features improved living quarters and life-support infrastructure for longer stays by visiting crewmembers.
It will be used for testing systems and processes for mid-term space stays and refueling.
It will be placed at slightly higher orbit around 393 kilometres above the earth.
It is a prototype for China’s ultimate goal to launch a permanent 20-ton space station after 2020 just as International Space Station (ISS). It will make China potentially the only country with a permanent space presence.