JIUQUAN, GANSU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Long-March II-F rocket for the launch of China's manned spacecraft Shenzhou VII has arrived at the launch center in northwest China's Gansu Province.

    The rocket is set to send the Shenzhou VII manned spacecraft into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

    Three astronauts aboard the spacecraft are expected to make the first space walk by Chinese astronauts, according to official sources.

    Chinese engineers have made 36 technical improvements with the new rocket, making it more stable and reliable and more comfortable for the pilots.

    With the installation of remote graphic measuring equipment, the operation of some key parts of the rocket can be monitored.

    In the coming few days, the rocket will be checked, tied up with the boosters and be connected with the vehicle.

China's Long March 2F rocket ready for trip to launch center

Members of the technical group for the Long March 2F rocket attend a farewell ceremony in China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Bejing, China, July 19, 2008. The Long March 2F rocket designed to carry China's third manned spacecraft into space will be sent to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China's Gansu province in a few days.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Long March 2F rocket designed to carry China's third manned spacecraft into space will be sent to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest Gansu province in a few days, officials with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) said here Saturday. Full story

Shenzhou VII ready for final test

    BEIJING, July 2 -- The team that developed Shenzhou VII, China's third manned spacecraft, will begin the final test at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province in a few days.

    Zhang Bainan, chief designer of the spacecraft, said on Tuesday that the research and development team of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) will leave for Jiuquan early this month. Full story

China's 1st spacewalk mission to launch in October

    BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou VII manned space mission, which will include the first spacewalk by a Chinese "taikonaut," is to launch in October, said a spokesman of the China manned space engineering office here on Thursday.

    He would not give the exact date of the launch, but said a day would be selected in October. Full story

Space mission equipment passes test

A virtual image of an astronaut spacewalking outside the Shenzhou VII spaceship. (Photo: Chinadaily.com, File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 -- An airlock module for the Shenzhou VII spaceship and an extravehicular spacesuit - key elements of China's first spacewalk mission scheduled for later this year - have passed initial ground tests, a top scientist said yesterday.

    "Both the airlock module and the extravehicular spacesuit passed the tests, which simulated the zero-gravity environment of space," Yang Baohua, head of the China Academy of Space Technology, said. Full story