China’s Tiangong-1 space station has crashed to Earth over the South Pacific.

Tiangong-1, the “Heavenly Palace”, began its descent around 10:15am and “mostly burned up on re-entry” according to state-owned media outlet Xinhua.

The Aerospace Corporation says it was able to confirm the reports that Tiangong-1 hit the atmosphere above the South Pacific.

The remains of the craft are expected to have hit the ocean near an area known as the “spacecraft cemetery”, where space agencies often aim for when their spacecraft are re-entering the atmosphere.

The Tiangong-1 was launched in 2011 as part of China's ambitious space programme, which includes plans for a permanent station to be in orbit by 2023.

While many aspects of the craft’s design and mission have been kept secret, it has been known to carry out a range of docking and orbit experiments.

Its original mission was expected to wrap up in 2013, but it had its time repeatedly extended.

Experts had warned that the chance of anyone being hit by debris was extraordinarily low.