3 phases of China's manned space program

China’s manned space program is planned to take place in three phases.

The first phase is the launch of a manned spacecraft. The successful flights by Shenzhou 5 and 6, marked the accomplishment of the first phase.

The second phase aims to break through the technical difficulties of docking two spacecraft together, while building and launching a manned space lab. The successful launch of the space station module, Tiangong 1 marked an important milestone. Shenzhou 8, 9 and 10 are each expected to dock to it and conduct tests. This will mark the end of the second phase.

According to the “three-step” plan, the future Tiangong 2 and Tiangong 3 space labs will conduct even more advanced research and experiments. The final step is to build China’s first manned space station around 2020. The station will be multi-functional, conducting experiments and observations.