China launches Tianzhou-5 for space station supplies

China launched cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-5 on Nov 12, 2022 morning to deliver supplies for the Tiangong space station. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

BEIJING – China launched cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-5 on Saturday morning to deliver supplies for the space station, the construction of which is expected to be completed this year.

The Long March-7 Y6 rocket, carrying Tianzhou-5, blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The rocket was moved to the launch tower on Wednesday and underwent final checks over the past days.

Tianzhou 5 will become the fourth cargo ship to dock with Tiangong, following the Tianzhou 2, 3 and 4.

The Tianzhou-4, which stayed connected with the space station for six months, undocked from Tiangong on Wednesday and will be guided by ground controllers back to Earth in due course, the agency said.

Currently, the Tiangong station consists of a core module, two lab modules and a spacecraft used to transport the astronauts.