As this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic ties, Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has launched the China (Guangzhou)-U.S. Youth Sports and Cultural Exchange Camp, bringing together students from both countries.
The program, themed "Friends coming from afar", aims to enhance friendship between young people in China and the United States, and promote their exchanges and cooperation in fields such as culture, sports and education.
The eight-day program runs until Wednesday. During their visit to Guangzhou, U.S. students have paired up with their Chinese counterparts to experience the charm of the city. They visited schools and a botanical garden, participated in various of physical activities such as practicing Chinese martial arts, and learned about Chinese culture and history.
China-US youth exchange camp launched in Guangzhou
The combination of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft and the Long March-2F Y23 carrier rocket commenced its transfer to the launch area at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Saturday.
Wind conditions at the launch site are moderate and the weather is clear, making it ideal for the combination's transfer.
With the support of a mobile platform, engineers are transferring the combination vertically towards the launch tower.
The rocket-spaceship assembly stands nearly 60 meters tall.
Such a colossal structure is connected to the mobile platform at its base by only four support points.
With a high center of gravity and a small support area, every step of the transfer must be carried out with the utmost care and caution.
China's manned 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.
Vertical assembly involves assembling the rocket and spacecraft inside the final assembly and testing building.
Once testing is complete, the spacecraft-rocket assembly possesses a fully integrated and stable structure.
From this time until launch, the assembly remains in an upright position, which ensures its stability.
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.
This method protects the rocket from natural elements such as wind, sand, rain, and snow, while also reducing the rocket's dwell time in the launch area, thereby enhancing launch efficiency and safety.
Combination of Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft, rocket begins transfer to launch area
