Editor's note: China launched its first cargo spacecraft on Thursday night on a mission to test resupply technology for a planned manned space station. If the mission is successful, it will make China the third nation to use its own technology to conduct in-orbit refueling, joining Russia and the United States. The mission drew worldwide attention and many foreign media organizations called China's move a contribution to human spaceflight.

'America has not done this'

Morris Jones, a space expert based in Australia, said the cargo ship was a great achievement for China.

"Only Europe, Russia and China have developed freighters that can refuel a space station. America has not done this," he said.

-- South China Morning Post

Tianzhou ticks the final boxes on the list

Steadily, China has been ticking the boxes for its preparations to gain a major foothold in human spaceflight. The operations of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft will tick the final boxes on this list of tasks.

--by Morris Jones for SpaceDaily