<p>China will launch a spacecraft in mid-June to carry out the country's first manned space docking mission with an orbiting space lab module, a spokesperson said Saturday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long March-2F, had been moved to the launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the spokesperson with the country's manned space programme said. <br /><br />In the next few days, scientists will conduct functional tests on the spacecraft and the rocket, as well as tests on selected astronauts, spacecraft, rocket and ground systems, reported Xinhua. <br /><br />The manned spacecraft and its carrier rocket were delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in early April this year. <br /><br />The Tiangong-1 space lab module, or Heavenly Palace-1, is orbiting normally.<br />The final preparations are running smoothly, and the selected astronauts have completed their training and are in sound physical and mental conditions, according to the spokesperson. <br /><br />Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of the country's manned space programme, earlier said the three-person crew on Shenzhou-9 might include female astronauts, but the final selection would be decided "on the very last condition". <br />The space docking mission will be manually conducted by astronauts, giving China another chance to test its docking technology. <br /><br />One of the three Shenzhou-9 crew members will not board the Tiangong-1 space module lab, but will remain inside the spacecraft as a precautionary measure in case of emergency, the spokesperson said. <br /><br />The target module Tiangong-1, which blasted off Sep 29, 2011, went into long-term operation in space awaiting docking attempts of Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 after completing China's first space docking mission with the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in early November.</p>
<p>China will launch a spacecraft in mid-June to carry out the country's first manned space docking mission with an orbiting space lab module, a spokesperson said Saturday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The Shenzhou-9 spacecraft and its carrier rocket, the Long March-2F, had been moved to the launch platform at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the spokesperson with the country's manned space programme said. <br /><br />In the next few days, scientists will conduct functional tests on the spacecraft and the rocket, as well as tests on selected astronauts, spacecraft, rocket and ground systems, reported Xinhua. <br /><br />The manned spacecraft and its carrier rocket were delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in early April this year. <br /><br />The Tiangong-1 space lab module, or Heavenly Palace-1, is orbiting normally.<br />The final preparations are running smoothly, and the selected astronauts have completed their training and are in sound physical and mental conditions, according to the spokesperson. <br /><br />Niu Hongguang, deputy commander-in-chief of the country's manned space programme, earlier said the three-person crew on Shenzhou-9 might include female astronauts, but the final selection would be decided "on the very last condition". <br />The space docking mission will be manually conducted by astronauts, giving China another chance to test its docking technology. <br /><br />One of the three Shenzhou-9 crew members will not board the Tiangong-1 space module lab, but will remain inside the spacecraft as a precautionary measure in case of emergency, the spokesperson said. <br /><br />The target module Tiangong-1, which blasted off Sep 29, 2011, went into long-term operation in space awaiting docking attempts of Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 after completing China's first space docking mission with the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in early November.</p>