#Spacelab mission series

A photo taken with a high-resolution camera shows the Tiangong-2 space lab and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft on Oct. 30, 2016. [Chinese Academy of Sciences/Handout via Xinhua]

China's spacelab mission series consisted of four missions between June 2016 to April 2017, including the inaugural flight of the Long March-7 rocket, the launch of the Tiangong-2 space lab, the launch of the Shenzhou-11 manned spaceflight, and the launch of the country's first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1.

These missions aimed to make technology breakthroughs in cargo transportation, mid-term astronaut stays in space, rocket propellants replenishment, and long-term ground control support. A number of space tech experiments were also carried out to gain experience in the construction and operation of the space station.