China has successfully launched the Shijian-21 satellite into orbit to test technologies for the elimination of space debris.This is reported by Xinhua with reference to the Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation of the People's Republic of China.
The launch was carried out using the Changzheng-3B launch vehicle, which launched from the Xichang cosmodrome in Sichuan Province in the southwest of the country at 09:27 Beijing time (04:27 Moscow time).
The satellite will conduct experiments on the removal of space "debris" from orbit, including old spacecraft and rocket remains.
Earlier in mid-October, the Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou-13, launched to the Chinese space station under construction, successfully entered orbit. The creation of the third Tiangong orbital station began in April and should be completed in 2022. Seven more launches are planned for the Tianhe base module. The previous orbital station Tiangong-2 was launched in September 2016, and the first one, Tiangong—1, was launched in 2011. In March 2019, Tiangong-2 was taken out of orbit and flooded.
