Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

The combination of the Shenzhou-23 piloted spacecraft atop the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket started its transfer over the weekend to a launch area at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China.

China’s crewed rocket launch adopts a method where, after the rocket and spacecraft arrive at the site, a series of pre-launch preparations are completed through vertical assembly, vertical testing, and vertical transport.

Status check

Once testing is complete, the spacecraft-rocket assembly possesses a fully integrated and stable structure. After leaving the final assembly and testing facility, the combination will be transferred vertically along a 1.5-kilometer-long seamless steel rail to the launch pad. 

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Xu Zheyao, rocket design engineer, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, told China Central Television (CCTV):

“After we entered the site on April 19, each system first conducted a status check on the rocket, followed by the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks across all systems,” Xu said.

What about Shenzhou-22?

The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship will be launched at an appropriate time in the near future.

The Shenzhou-22 mission, originally scheduled to fly this year, was lofted on November 25 of last year.

It was launched without crew and autonomously docked with the Tiangong space to provide the Shenzhou-20 crew — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie — a safe spacecraft to ride home following discovery of on-orbit damage to the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft.

Shenzhou-20 crew is seen in this pre-launch image.
(Image credit: China Manned Space Agency)

Supply ship

Meanwhile, now nearly 200 days into their mission aboard China’s space station Tiangong, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts — Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang — remain in good physical and mental condition.

The trio of space travelers recently received fresh supplies from the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft and they have pressed ahead with a new round of in-orbit experiments, facility maintenance and health checks.

Tianzhou-10 was launched on May 11 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Tianzhou-10 was launched on May 11 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. The crew watched the launch and docking live on the cabin screens, and that evening they opened the hatches to begin unpacking the nearly 6.2 tons of new supplies.

One-month extension

The currently orbiting three astronauts entered the space station on Nov 1, 2025.

Having completed a full six-month stay in excellent condition as of early May, the crew has begun their one-month extended mission aboard the Tiangong space station.

Shenzhou-21 astronauts: Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

With the extension, the Shenzhou-21 mission is poised to surpass the previous orbital record of 204 days set by the Shenzhou-20 crew, CCTV reports.

Go to these informative videos detailing the Shenzhou-21 crew operations and ground teams readying the crewed Shenzhou-23 launch at:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1723600165332768

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1717571982591490

Shenzhou-23 mission spacecraft and booster being readied for upcoming liftoff.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab