英语新闻阅读：中国发射“天宫一号”，瞄准空间站

英语自学网

　　China has launched an unmanned spacecraft, in what is described as
Beijing's first step toward building its own space station.The 8.5 ton module --
known as Tiangong-1, or "Heavenly Palace" -- lifted off from a site in China's
northwestern Gobi desert late Thursday night local time. The craft was propelled
by a Long March 2F rocket. Detailed reports about the launch were splashed
across Chinese newspapers and the development was hailed by state-run
broadcasters.
        　　Another unmanned spacecraft to be launched November 1 will meet up with the
module for China's first space-docking procedure.China plans several more
rendezvous-and-docking procedures before the end of next year -- at least one of
which will be manned. The program calls for construction of a space laboratory
by 2016 and completion of a 60-ton space station around 2020.China conducted its
first manned space flight in 2003, more than four decades after pioneering
flights by the United States and Soviet Union. The latest efforts come at a time
when the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle fleet has left the future of the
American space program in question.