China launches 3rd and last space station component

China launched the third and final module to complete its permanent space station on Monday, realizing a more than decade-long endeavor to maintain a constant crewed presence in orbit.

Mengtian was blasted into space at 3:39 p.m. Monday from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan.

A large crowd of amateur photographers, space enthusiasts and assorted lookers-on watched the lift-off from an adjoining beach.Mengtian was due to spend 13 hours in flight before reaching Tiangong which is populated by a crew of two male and one female astronauts.