BEIJING, Mar. 23 (China Space News) — After an operational orbit of 1,630 days, China’s first space lab Tiangong-1 terminated its data service. The functions of the space laboratory and target orbiter have been disabled after an extended service period of about two and a half years, although it remains in designed orbit.
Tiangong-1 was launched in September 2011 with a design life of two years.
It had successfully docked with the Shenzhou-8, Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and undertaken a series of experiments, contributing to the nation’s space program,.
The flight orbit of the space lab, which will descend gradually in the coming months, is under continued and close monitoring. The orbiter will burn up in the atmosphere eventually.
