Shenzhou-23 Crewed Spacecraft Ready for Launch | China Space Station

Shenzhou-23 Crewed Spacecraft Ready for Launch | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-23 crewed space mission conducted its last comprehensive practice before launch on Friday, May 22, 2026, completing function checks of all systems and other preparation work.

The combination of the spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket was transported to the launch site last Saturday and is scheduled for launch in the coming days, with all facilities and equipment at the launch site in good condition, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

Carried out by the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Xi'an Satellite Control Center, and various control stations under the coordination of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, the drill simulated all stages of the launch mission, including pre-launch preparations, liftoff, climb, and the in-orbit phase.

"The joint practice is to test the system's communication links, command capability, equipment, and personnel. Based on the current progress, everything is normal. What's going on in parallel is a full-system gas leak detection," He said.

The rehearsal validated the reliability of key systems, including the rocket, the spacecraft, the launch site, the control and communication equipment, and the coordination between different systems. It also verified the functionality and technical status of the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft-rocket combination.

"The Shenzhou-23 spacecraft is in the third batch of spacecraft after the completion of the construction of the space station. It incorporates many new quality control measures, and its payload transport capacity, reliability, and safety have all been significantly improved," said Li Zhe, an employee of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

With all facilities in good condition, the Jiuquan launch site will later conduct rocket propellant filling and launch operations.

Search and recovery drills are also underway at the landing site, in preparation for the return of the Shenzhou-21 crew.

Video Credit: CCTV

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: May 22, 2026

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