China plans to launch a three-man crew between June and August of this year to rendezvous with the Tiangong-1 space lab module, reports the Xinhua news service. It will be the nation's first manned rendezvous and docking mission.  

The manned Shenzhou-9 spacecraft will conduct the mission with "manual operations," according to a spokesperson, giving China another opportunity to test its docking technology. Once docked, the three person crew will enter Tiangong-1 to live and work, conducting experiments while on board.   When the Shenzhou-9 mission is complete, China plans to send up the manned Shenzhou-10 mission in 2013. 

Tiangong-1 -- "Heavenly Palace" -- was launched on September 29, 2011, followed by the unmanned launch of the Shenzhou-8 spacecraft on November 1 to rendezvous and dock with it. Two successful rendezvous and docking operations were conducted. The missions generated considerable interest and enthusiasm in China, winning praise from government leaders for the space agency's success in mastering the technique.

Having a pressured habitable volume of around 15 cubic meters, Tiangong-1 is equipped with exercise equipment, two sleeping sections, entertainment systems, and "visual communication devices," according to China Daily. Power is provided by a pair of solar panels in a separate resource module, which also contains propulsion systems.

The Tiangong-1 space lab is the first building block on China's road to building a manned space station around 2020, enabling the country's space program to master rendezvous and docking technologies, as well as to gain experience in longer and more complex manned operations in orbit. Ultimately, China will build a multi-piece space station in low earth orbit (LEO), with Tiangong-style spacecraft serving as automated supply freighters similar to the Russian Progress vehicle.

China hasn't said if the three person crew of Shenzhou-9 will be composed of all men or include China's first female astronaut. The country's space agency has said it is considering putting women on board one of the two upcoming Shenzhou/Tiangong missions, but no crew list has been announced for the this year's launch.

Many U.S. space advocates are quietly rooting for the continued success and growth of China's space program, hoping that it will trigger deeper concern among the public and elected officials ultimately resulting in more support for American efforts.   At present, NASA is stuck with an essentially flat-line budget for the next five years and will have to fight to get its manned commercial spacecraft development program fully funded in FY 2013.