Shenzhou XVIII crewed spaceship ready for launch

JIUQUAN -- The Shenzhou XVIII crewed space mission completed its last joint practice before launch and the system-wide airtightness check on Tuesday.

The rocket and spacecraft have completed the electrical performance test, and the astronauts and all systems at the launch site have carried out the launch drill, with everything reported to be in good condition.

April is typically the windiest and sandiest month at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China. The meteorological staff at the launch site have analyzed April's wind speed data over the past 10 years and mapped out multiple contingency response plans.

The combination of the Shenzhou XVIII crewed spaceship and a Long March 2F carrier rocket has been transferred to the launching area, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on April 17.

The spaceship will be launched in the coming days, the CMSA said.