Long March II-F Carrier rocket arrives at launch center

A Long March II-F carrier rocket, the launch vehicle for China's first module of a planned space station, arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province on Saturday.

This marks the gathering of all personnel and facilities needed for the launch of the Tiangong-1 at the launch center, said a statement issued by the center.

The Long March II-F carrier rocket will carry the Tiangong-1, the unmanned space module designed to serve as a platform for China's future spacecraft to rendezvous and dock with, in space.

China plans to launch Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in the latter half of this year, and they will perform the country's first space docking.

The Tiangong-1 was transported to the launch center at the end of June and is undergoing various tests.

According to the center's statement, all tests for the Tiangong-1 and other preparations are going smoothly.


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