Beijing (CNN) -- China on Thursday launched its first space
laboratory module, marking another step upward for its space
program. "We must soberly recognize that China's space-station
technology is still in its initial stage, compared to those of
the U.S. and Russia," said a commentary from the state-run
Xinhua News Agency. "But the launch of Tiangong-1 is the
beginning of China's efforts to narrow the gap." "The test
reflects China's technological advances, funded by its rapid
economic growth and facilitated by the military's ballistic
missile program," says Taylor Fravel, associate professor at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The unmanned space-
lab is an 8-ton module named Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace."
That's what the Chinese called outer space in ancient times.
Tiangong-1 is designed to stay in space for two years and is
expected to dock with an unmanned spacecraft in November. The
rendezvous next month will be the true test of the mission,
experts say. "Docking is necessary for the de