02 April 2018•Update: 02 April 2018
BEIJING
A defunct Chinese space lab, re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere early Monday, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO).
The agency said the experimental Taingong-1, space lab re-entered the atmosphere at around 8.15 a.m. local time (0015GMT) in the central region of the South Pacific.
CMSEO said most of the 10.4-meter-long space lab that weighs 8.5 tons, ablated and destroyed during re-entry.
China launched the space station Sept. 29, 2011, and said it ended its mission in 2016. It docked with several space vehicles and conducted a series of experiments during its five-year mission.
Chinese officials said Friday they did not expect any part of the Taingong-1 to reach the Earth.
Reporting by Fuat Kabakci; Writing by Sorwar Alam
