BEIJING — Construction work on the core module of China's Tiangong space station is proceeding steadily, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on March 11.

The Shenzhou-13 mission astronauts currently working the project are all in good condition, said the CMSA, adding that they plan to return to Earth in April.

The key technologies for the construction of the space station have been fully verified, and the follow-up missions are on course to make solid progress, the CMSA added. The crew members who will carry out two further manned missions during the construction phase have been selected and are now undergoing training.

Building a space station for large-scale, long-term manned missions is the third step in the "three-step" development strategy of China's manned spaceflight project. Since 2021, the country has successfully carried out five flight missions in the key technology verification phase of its manned spaceflight project.

In 2022, China plans to launch the Wentian and Mengtian experimental modules, the Shenzhou manned spacecraft and the cargo spacecraft. China will also complete the in-orbit construction of its space station and build a national space laboratory that operates stably in orbit, said the CMSA.

Meanwhile, China continues its research on key technologies for a human lunar-landing project.