China will launch a prototype of its space station later this week

China rallied hard to become a part of the US-led, international partnership that owns and operates the International Space Station, but was ultimately turned down. Not one to be left out, China decided to go ahead and build its own manned space station — and later this week, the country will take a major step toward seeing this project become reality. The country's Tiangong 1, or "Heavenly Palace," which we talked about in our Fall Science preview, is scheduled for liftoff on either the 29th or 30th of this month. More

(Source: io9 - Sep 27)