Figure 1：The assembly of Shenzhou 9 spaceship and Long March 2F/Y9 carrier rocket is on transferring.

[June 9, CMSE News] China Manned Space Engineering press spokesman announced on June 9 that the assembly of Shenzhou 9 spaceship and Long March 2F/Y9 carrier rocket for conducting China’s first manned space rendezvous and docking mission has been vertically transferred to the launch site from the technical area of Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It indicates that the manned space rendezvous and docking mission between Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou 9 spacecraft has entered the final preparation phase. According to the planning, Shenzhou-9 spaceship will be launched at the most appropriate time in mid-June.

Figure 2: The assembly of Shenzhou 9 spaceship and Long March 2F/Y9 carrier rocket has been safely transferred to the launch pad.

Shenzhou 9 spaceship, after propellant was loaded, matched with the carrier rocket to form an integrated assembly. At 10:30 a.m. June 9, the mobile launch platform carrying the assembly rolled out of the Vertical Assemble Building (VAB) and was safely transferred to the launch pad. After that, the spaceship testing, rocket function testing and joint crew-spaceship-rocket-ground testing would be consecutively carried out.

Shenzhou 9 spaceship and Long March 2F/Y9 were transported in succession to the launch site in early April. According to the procedure, major works on the technical area, such as general assembling and testing, have been finished, and the ground sub-systems, such as the launch site, TT&C, communication, and landing site system, have basically finished the preparation work. The space flight crew has completed such training programs as flight mission theory and professional technologies as planned, and has conducted manual rendezvous and docking simulating training pertinently, with their operating skills well-trained and their physical and mental status in good condition. Tiangong I target vehicle has lowered to the docking orbit early in June and is functioning well in orbit.

By now, all preparation works for Tiangong I and Shenzhou 9 rendezvous and docking mission are going smoothly.