"Qingzhou is a swift and nimble spacecraft, following a design which is taikonaut-centered, of low-cost, high-reliability, high-flexibility and high-intelligence," said Shu Rong, commander of the Qingzhou project.

The cargo spacecraft incorporates intelligent payload schemes and designs to optimize cargo delivery, retrieval, and handling processes for astronauts, he said.

In addition to servicing the Tiangong Space Station, Qingzhou aims to offer commercial cargo services in the future, with a focus on generating economic and social benefits, Shu added.