BEIJING, Mar. 3 (China Space News) —  China is assembling its second space laboratory and its latest manned spacecraft, and plans to send them into space in the second half of this year, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The Tiangong 2 space lab is scheduled to be launched in the third quarter. The Shen-zhou XI spacecraft, which will carry two astronauts, will be launched in the fourth quarter and will dock with Tiangong 2, the agency said on its website on Sunday.

Astronauts will stay in the space lab for several days to test its life support systems and carry out scientific experiments.

In the first half of next year, a next-generation Long March 7 rocket will transport the Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft to dock with the Tiangong 2 to resupply fuel and other materials, according to the agency.

By 2020, construction of the space station will be completed, according to the agency.

According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, China will carry out more than 20 space missions before the end of this year, including the manned Shen-zhou XI mission and the maiden flights of Long March 5 and Long March 7.