China's space station lab module Mengtian ready for launch

The combination of China's space station lab module Mengtian and its carrier rocket Long March-5B Y4 has been transported to the launch area, the China Manned Space Agency said Tuesday.

The lab module will be sent into orbit at an appropriate time in the near future. Prior to the launch, function checks and joint tests will be carried out as planned.

The facilities and equipment at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern province of Hainan are in good condition, and all departments involved in the mission are undergoing final preparations, the agency said in a statement.

Scientific equipment in the Mengtian module, the second lab component of China's under-construction space station, will be used for studying microgravity and carrying out experiments in fluid physics, materials science, combustion science and fundamental physics.

The combination of China's space station lab module Mengtian and its carrier rocket Long March-5B Y4 is transported to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 25, 2022. 

The combination of China's space station lab module Mengtian and its carrier rocket Long March-5B Y4 is transported to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 25, 2022. ​

The combination of China's space station lab module Mengtian and its carrier rocket Long March-5B Y4 is transported to the launch area at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 25, 2022. ​