China launched this Sunday the second of the three modules of the space station that it is building, according to images broadcast live by the state television channel CCTV.The module, called Wentian, weighing about 20 tons and without an astronaut on board, was propelled by a Long March 5B rocket at 2:22 p.m. (0622 GMT) from the Wenchang launch center on south China's tropical Hainan Island.About 18 meters long and 4.2 meters in diameter, this laboratory module will be attached to Tianhe, the first module of the station that has already been in orbit since April 2021.The operation is a challenge for the crew because it requires several high-precision manipulations, some of them through a robotic arm.Provided with three spaces to sleep, bathrooms and a kitchen, the new module also has sectors for scientific experiences.Wentian will also serve as a platform to control the space station in case of technical problems.Named Tiangong ("Celestial Palace") but also known by its acronym CSS (Chinese Space Station), the space station should be fully operational by the end of the year.After Wentian this weekend, the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-14 mission, currently at the space station, will receive another laboratory module, Mengtian, initially during the month of October.The station will then have its final "T" shape.It will be similar in size to the former Soviet-Russian space station Mir.His life expectancy would be at least 10 years.China has been investing billions of dollars in its space program for several decades.International Geneva, an important center of multilateralism, faces unprecedented challenges.The Asian giant sent its first astronaut into space in 2003.In 2019, the country landed a device on the hidden side of the Moon, an unprecedented event worldwide.In 2020, China collected samples from Earth's satellite, and the following year it sent a small robot to Mars.China also plans to send men to the Moon around 2030.SWI swissinfo.ch - business unit of the Swiss radio and television company SRG SSRYour data is used to fill in some fields of the form.A confirmation email has been sent to your mailbox.Click on the link included in the email to activate your account.Enter your email address.You will receive a link to reset your password.An email to reset your password has been sent to your mailbox.Please click the link in the e-mail to reset your password.Your account is connected withPassword Change passwordJoin our discussions.You can find an overview of the ongoing discussions with our journalists here.Join the conversationIn many parts of the world, people are increasingly suffering from intense heat and several countries are facing a growing health impact from...Join our discussions.You can find an overview of the ongoing discussions with our journalists here.Join the conversationIn many parts of the world, people are increasingly suffering from intense heat and several countries are facing a growing health impact from...With our newsletters you will receive the most important news in your inbox.The SRG SSR Privacy Statement explains how personal data is collected and used.Select any of the newsletters below to "Subscribe" with your email address {0}