(VOVworld) - China will build a space station that is more cost-effective and handles more data than the current International Space Station (ISS), starting as early as 2017.

China will build a space station starting as early as 2017. (Photo: xihuanet)

In an announcement on Thursday, chief engineer of China’s manned space program Zhou Jianping said China will launch the core module of the space station around 2018.

China’s space station will consist of three parts and weigh over 60 tons. Zhou said the station will be smaller than the ISS but will dock with two manned spacecraft and one cargo spacecraft and support up to 6 astronauts.