China's only manned carrier rocket in use currently, the Long March-2F, has an all-success track record of sending Shenzhou spaceships and other spacecraft into space over the past 25 years.
The Long March-2F carrier rocket conducted its first mission on November 20, 1999, successfully sending China's first experimental spaceship, the Shenzhou-1, into space.
This reliable rocket on Wednesday lifted the Shenzhou-19 crew to space, which is the latest progress of China's space program.
The combination of the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket was transferred to the launching area at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 22, to make the final preparation before launching.
The combination was lifted from the assembly and test facility and smoothly transported via a vertical transfer method.
In China, this way of transporting upright or vertically has started with the Long March 2F rocket.
"The 'three-vertical mode' refers to vertical assembly, vertical transport, and vertical launch. The Long March-2F rocket is China's first 'three-vertical mode' rocket. Subsequent rockets such as the Long March-5 and Long March-7, which are currently in service, as well as the future next-generation manned rocket, all use this 'three-vertical' mode," said Ren Xiaowei, an engineer of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Ever since the rollout process, the Long March-2F rocket responsible for the Shenzhou-19 mission has stood tall and straight, its uprightness gets further fine-tuned after propellant loading.
"You can see four green column-like support arms. Their height can be adjusted. Through these, the rocket's verticality can be precisely controlled. Generally, it is adjusted to within one minute (that is within the range of 1/60th of a degree)," said Ren.
About 6.5 hours after launching, the Shenzhou-19 spaceship successfully docked with the space station combination, and the crew, mission commander Cai Xuzhe and astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze entered the space station, where the three astronauts of the Shenzhou-18 mission were ready for their arrival.
China's Long March-2F carrier rocket has all-success mission record since first flight
Lebanon is struggling to cope with mass displacement, with many facilities ill-equipped to host the numerous refugees displaced as a result of Israel's attacks on the country.
In a little over a month, more than a million Lebanese citizens have been displaced, a quarter of whom are children. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Israeli attacks on Lebanon have left many facing a worsening humanitarian situation by the day.
To accommodate the mass exodus, the government has turned many of its buildings into shelters, including a football stadium where some 1,500 citizens are seeking refuge.
"Some people came here and maybe they find another place they feel it's better. Some others don’t find any place, because the number of refugees is very big," said Nagi Hamoud, general manager of the Institution of Sports Facilities, speaking at the stadium.
Mehdi Alazhar, 67, is one of the refugees staying there. His house is in the southern district of Beirut, the Hezbollah stronghold. The comfort his home brings is just minutes away from this stadium, but he can't get near it. His family, including his spouse with a disability, have been struggling to get through each day.
"The government is stumbling. If they bring breakfast, we don't get lunch, and if we get lunch, there will be no dinner. It's midday, and no one brought us breakfast. They can't catch up with the demand. People are hungry and in dire conditions. No one knows when we're going back home. Everyone is on their phones, following the news, waiting to learn when they can go back," he said.
A government educational institution has also been turned into a shelter, accommodating some 3,000 citizens, many of whom believe that coping with displacement is a form of resisting the Israeli occupation.
"I have been displaced for years. They demolished my home, they erased my entire village, and they bombed it. Nothing is left. Even the tombs -- they dug them out. They are occupiers. We fight them to push them away from our country. And we will stay until the last drop of our blood is shed to prevent them from advancing into our country," said Hasnaa Jaber, a displaced Lebanese citizen.
Half of Lebanon's public schools have been turned into shelters, as the Israeli military advances further into the southern Lebanese territories. Many more now live on the streets, camping in tents and struggling to find basic services.
Meanwhile, public servants are striving to catch up with the immense demand they need to fill, working tirelessly and without days off.
"We have no working hours. We work all the time, day and night. We have no weekends because we are in a state of war. This is what makes the ministry's team special. Public servants are flexible to honor the humanitarian duty we do," said Suheir El Ghali, a crisis management coordinator with the Beirut Ministry of Social Affairs.
Displaced Lebanese citizens struggle to find shelter
