BEIJING, May 20 (China Space News) — China will launch a core module belonging to its first space station around 2018, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Two space labs will be launched later and dock with the core module, Tianhe-1. Construction on the space station is expected to finish around 2020. The space station will consist of the core module, and the two attached labs.

If the International Space Station, which has extended its service, is retired by 2024, China's new space station will be the only operational one in outer space.