Engineers detail Shenzhou-20 combination transfer before launch
Engineers and scientists are making final preparations for the upcoming Shenzhou-20 mission, having moved the crewed spaceship and its carrier rocket to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, as reported by the China Manned...
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Engineers and scientists are making final preparations for the upcoming Shenzhou-20 mission, having moved the crewed spaceship and its carrier rocket to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, as reported by the China Manned Space Agency on Wednesday.
The agency has indicated that the Shenzhou-20 mission will launch at a suitable time in the near future.
On Wednesday evening, the spaceship and carrier rocket were lifted from the assembly and test facility and transported to the launching site using a vertical transfer method. This process was successfully completed in about two hours.
"Before the vertical transfer, we had already developed a detailed follow-up work plan, outlining the content, status, sequence and inter-coordination of testing and inspection items for each system in the launching area," stated Zheng Yonghuang, chief engineer at the Jiuyuan Satellite Launch Center.
Zheng emphasized that their main focus during this implementation phase was to ensure the status of the combination, manage the process, and supervise checkpoints to guarantee efficient and smooth operation of each system.
The Long March-2F carrier rocket is operating under a "rolling backup" model, which maintains a rocket in standby mode for emergencies. It has completed lifting and binding processes and has been on emergency rescue standby for six months since its arrival at the launch center on September 20, 2024.
"On March 20, our rocket launch team once again came to the launch site to conduct testing on the multiple subsystems of the rocket and ensure the compatibility between them. We performed four overall inspections and simultaneously completed the fairing assembly, and the matching of the spacecraft-fairing combination and the escape tower," remarked Liu Haibo, an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
"Currently, the rocket systems are functioning well, with all parameters within the acceptable range, and the rocket is in good condition," Liu added.
Final assembly tests and related tasks have already been completed for the combination, and the launch site facilities and equipment are in good shape. Engineers are scheduled to conduct functional checks and joint tests prior to the launch.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
The agency has indicated that the Shenzhou-20 mission will launch at a suitable time in the near future.
On Wednesday evening, the spaceship and carrier rocket were lifted from the assembly and test facility and transported to the launching site using a vertical transfer method. This process was successfully completed in about two hours.
"Before the vertical transfer, we had already developed a detailed follow-up work plan, outlining the content, status, sequence and inter-coordination of testing and inspection items for each system in the launching area," stated Zheng Yonghuang, chief engineer at the Jiuyuan Satellite Launch Center.
Zheng emphasized that their main focus during this implementation phase was to ensure the status of the combination, manage the process, and supervise checkpoints to guarantee efficient and smooth operation of each system.
The Long March-2F carrier rocket is operating under a "rolling backup" model, which maintains a rocket in standby mode for emergencies. It has completed lifting and binding processes and has been on emergency rescue standby for six months since its arrival at the launch center on September 20, 2024.
"On March 20, our rocket launch team once again came to the launch site to conduct testing on the multiple subsystems of the rocket and ensure the compatibility between them. We performed four overall inspections and simultaneously completed the fairing assembly, and the matching of the spacecraft-fairing combination and the escape tower," remarked Liu Haibo, an engineer with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
"Currently, the rocket systems are functioning well, with all parameters within the acceptable range, and the rocket is in good condition," Liu added.
Final assembly tests and related tasks have already been completed for the combination, and the launch site facilities and equipment are in good shape. Engineers are scheduled to conduct functional checks and joint tests prior to the launch.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
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