China launches its first space station, an “orbital laboratory” called Tiangong-1 (which translates roughly to “heavenly palace”). No manned mission to Tiangong-1 is planned until after ground controllers launch a remote-controlled Shenzhou vehicle, Shenzhou 8, to practice docking maneuvers and remotely sample the atmosphere aboard Tiangong-1’s pressurized area. The first manned visitors to Tiangong-1 won’t lift off until 2012.
