Review of construction of China's space station lab module Mengtian

(ECNS) -- China on Monday launched the space lab module Mengtian, taking the construction of the country's space station Tiangong into the final stage.

Mengtian was transported to Wenchang by ship in early August. It underwent function and prelaunch checks over the past three months at the launch center. The craft received fuel earlier this month at the launch center.

The lab module is about 17.9 meters long, has a diameter of 4.2 meters and weighs more than 23 metric tons, according to its designers at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.