With just a few days to go before the liftoff of the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceship, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Saturday conducted a comprehensive drill, involving all launch systems and units, to test their readiness for the upcoming mission.
Before that, the combination of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft and its carrier rocket had been transferred to the launch area on Tuesday.
Covering all the ground operation units, the drill simulated the whole launch process from functional checks of the launch tower, the carrier rocket and the spaceship, to flight preparations, rocket blastoff and rocket-spaceship separation.
The three Shenzhou-19 crew members, whose names are yet to be revealed, also participated in the drill, during which they completed equipment checks and finished the key flight maneuvers by cooperating with the ground personnel.
The drill also included medical examinations of the Shenzhou-19 crew, as well as a simulation of the send-off ceremony, the in-cabin status setting and post-entry procedures.
"During the whole drill, the Shenzhou-19 crew were in a very good state, and they gave very accurate commands and made skillful operations. The collaboration between the ground control personnel and the crew, as well as the collaboration among the crew members were quite good. After the drill, the three astronauts will make final preparations for the launch, during which they will receive close medical monitoring and continue to conduct skill trainings," said Xing Lei, a staff member of the Beijing-based China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
The ground personnel recently also conducted final checks and tests of the spacesuits, food, and other equipment and materials to be used by the astronauts. In addition, they tested the in-cabin atmospheric and microbial environment, and carried out other tasks, such as cell culture for space experiments, and functional tests of the equipment that had been installed on the spaceship.
Currently, the Chinese space station combination and its various equipment are in a good working condition, with the Shenzhou-18 crew, comprising astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, all feeling well in orbit.
A search and retrieve drill was conducted recently at the preset landing site to prepare for the Shenzhou-18 crew's return after their six-month space travel.
China conducts full-system launch drill for upcoming Shenzhou-19 crewed mission
