China launches lab module as its space station nears completion

China successfully launched Monday the lab module Mengtian, the last "building block" for its first space station, which will operate for up to 15 years, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.The Long March-5B Y4 carrier rocket, carrying Mengtian, blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan at 3:37 p.m. Beijing time. About eight minutes later, the module separated from the rocket and entered its preset orbit, according to the China Manned Space Agency.As China has been steadily moving ahead with space development projects in re…READ FULL ARTICLE