中国首艘货运飞船天舟一号即将应用空中加油技术首次为天宫2号空间实验室输送补给燃料。
China's first space cargo ship, the Tianzhou-1, is about to refuel the Tiangong-2 space lab for the first time, using 'in-flight refuelling' techniques.
The spacecraft blasted off from Wenchang Launch Centre on April 20th and successfully docked with the space lab two days later. During its two-month orbit, the cargo ship is expected to refuel the space lab three times. The refuelling procedure takes 29 steps and lasts for several days each time. If the Tianzhou-1 completes its objective,
China will become the third country, besides Russia and the United States, to master the technique of refuelling in space. Chinese engineers consider it a major breakthrough for future space station operations.
