Chinese space authorities say the defunct Tiangong 1 space station mostly burned up on re-entry into the atmosphere over the central South Pacific.
The China Manned Space Engineering Office said the experimental space laboratory re-entered around 8:15 a.m. Monday.
Scientists monitoring the craft’s disintegrating orbit had forecast the craft would mostly burn up and would pose only the slightest of risks to people. Analysis from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showed it had mostly burned up.
READ MORE: China’s abandoned Tiangong-1 space lab to make fiery return to Earth within 24 hours
Launched in 2011, Tiangong 1 was China’s first space station, serving as an experimental platform for bigger projects, such as the Tiangong 2 launched in September 2016 and a future permanent Chinese space station.
WATCH: China says Tiangong 1 space station mostly burnt up on re-entry over South Pacific
![Click to play video: 'China says Tiangong 1 space station mostly burnt up on re-entry over South Pacific'](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/691/115/china-tiangong-1-credit-cmsa_848x480_1200095299902.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Two crews of Chinese astronauts lived on the station while testing docking procedures and other operations. Its last crew departed in 2013 and contact with it was cut in 2016.
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READ MORE: Chinese space station set to come crashing to Earth, but your chance of getting crushed is tiny
Since then, it has orbited gradually closer and closer to Earth on its own while being monitored.
WATCH: Chinese space station Tiangong-1 heading toward Earth for reentry
![Click to play video: 'Chinese space lab mostly burns up on re-entry in south Pacific'](https://i2.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/956/755/Tiangon_Animation_for_WEB_848x480_1200374851584.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Earlier forecasts had said only about 10 percent of the bus-sized, 8.5-ton spacecraft would likely survive re-entry, mainly its heavier components such as its engines.
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