China'sspacedreamtookastepclosertorealityastheTiangong1moduleblastedoffintothenightskyonThursdayfromtheGobiDesert．TheLongMarchⅡFT1rocket，undertheunmannedmodule，Tiangong1，liftedofffromtheJiuquanSatelliteLau
China's space dream took a step closer to reality as the Tiangong1module blasted off into the night sky on Thursday from the Gobi Desert．
The Long MarchⅡF T1rocket，under the unmanned module，Tiangong1，lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9：16pm as planned．
Ten minutes later Tiangong1separated from the rocket on its way to orbit，350kilometers above Earth．The module deployed （展开）its two solar panels，which provide power，at 9：28pm．
The launch paves the way for China's first rendezvous （汇合） and docking mission．An unmanned ShenzhouⅧspaceship will be launched in November to dock with Tiangong1．
Two more missions are scheduled for next year and astronauts will board Tiangong1，which can also function as a space lab．
Wu Ping，the space program's spokeswoman，said that the ability to rendezvous and dock is important for building a space station，which China has scheduled for around 2020．
Zhou Jianping，chief designer of China's manned space program，said that the space lab and future space station provide a rare platform for conducting experiments that could lead to breakthroughs in the study of materials and biological pharmacy （医药）．
"Experiments made in the microgravity of space can lead to unexpected results．For example，gas and liquid are unable to mix on Earth，but in space they mix naturally，"he said，"The primary purpose of China's manned space station is to peacefully explore space，and through it，serve mankind．"
Some have questioned the participation of the military in the program．He said that China is firmly opposed to the weaponization of space and the program is peaceful．
The goal of the program，which has three steps，is to build a 60ton space station around 2020．The first of these，extravehicular activity，was completed successfully in 2008after ShenzhouⅦwas launched．
Rendezvous and docking is what is being experimented with．The third technolog