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Tiangong-1
April 9 , 2018
2294 days
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- China’s out-of-control Tiangong-1 space lab has re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, landing in middle of the South Pacific Ocean near world’s ‘spacecraft cemetery or graveyard’.
- Tiangong-1 (Heavenly Palace or Celestial Palace-1) was China’s first prototype space station or space laboratory.
- It was placed in orbit in September 2011 as part of China’s efforts towards building its own space station independent and unconnected to any other international space-active countries.
- During its lifespan, Tiangong-1 had served as both manned laboratory and experimental testbed to demonstrate orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities during its active operational life.
- It was first operational component of Tiangong program, which aims to place a larger, modular station into orbit by 2023, the time when US-led International Space Station is expected to go out of service.
- Tiangong-1 was originally planned to be decommissioned in 2013 but its mission was repeatedly extended. It reportedly stopped functioning in 2016.
- China has launched a second lab, Tiangong-2 in 2017 which continues to be operational.
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