NEW : China is not part of the project that maintains the International Space Station ( ISS ) , which currently orbits the Earth conducting experiments in a range of fields , from physics to astronomy . China launches the space lab module Tiangong-1 , which means `` heavenly palace '' in Chinese . The name is a reference to the ancient capital of China, Beijing ( or Xian ) and its famous Forbidden City. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003 , part of a `` three-step '' strategy to develop a space station .
NEW : China launches the space lab module Tiangong-1 , which means `` heavenly palace '' in Chinese . The name is a reference to the ancient capital of China, Beijing ( or Xian ) and its famous Forbidden City. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003 , part of a `` three-step '' strategy to develop a space station .