Source: Xinhua   2017-03-09 21:14:18     

XI'AN, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Final preparation for the launch of China's first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 has begun as the team responsible for the power system arrived at the launch center in Wenchang, south China's Hainan province on Thursday.

The team will prepare the Long March-7 carrier rocket that will carry Tianzhou-1 into space.

According to Liu Zhirang, head of the Sixth Research Institute of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the difficulty lies in refueling in space.

Tianzhou-1, to be launched in April, is expected to dock with the orbiting Tiangong-2 space lab three times before falling back to earth, while the latter will remain in orbit and continue its work.

The Tianzhou-1 mission will complete the second phase of China's manned space program and is a crucial step for China in establishing a space station around 2022.