China rocket launch kicks off first manned space station

Mission comes two weeks ahead of country's planned debut Mars landing

A Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the core module of China's space station Tianhe, lifts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province on April 29. © AP

CK TAN, Nikkei staff writer

April 29, 2021 12:35 JST

Updated on April 29, 2021 14:02 JST

SHANGHAI -- China successfully launched a rocket on Thursday carrying the core capsule for the construction of the country's maiden space station, a mission that shows the country's progress toward greater technological independence.

The Long March-5B Y2 rocket left its launchpad in the southern province of Hainan shortly after 11:22 a.m. local time, according to the China National Space Administration, with the core capsule Tianhe, or Harmony of Heavens.