全国政协委员、神舟飞船原总设计师戚发轫近日表示，中国将在2016年前研制并发射空间实验室，突破和掌握航天员中期驻留等空间站关键技术，并开展一定规模的空间应用。空间实验室是中国载人航天工程的第二步，为最终在2020年建成中国空间站提供技术支持。
2011年下半年发射的中国首个目标飞行器“天宫一号”，将于2012年完成交会对接试验的重要使命。交会对接是中国载人航天空间实验室阶段的一项关键技术指标，将由“天宫一号”以及神舟八号、九号、十号飞船共同完成。
A Chinese senior space technology expert said Thursday that China is expected to launch its first space laboratory before 2016.
"With the technological program ready, the lab's research and development are going smoothly," Qi Faren, former chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.
As the second phase of China's manned space program, the lab, likely to be named Tiangong-2, will gradually be developed into the core module or experiment module, said Qi.
China is to launch its first unmanned space module, Tiangong-1, or Heavenly Palace, in the second half of 2011, serving as a platform for spacecraft to rendezvous and dock - allowing for the building of the space station.
China will have its own space station before 2020, said Qi, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, before the annual session of the country's top political advisory body, which is scheduled to open Thursday.