Final preparations underway as Shenzhou-23 crewed mission set for liftoff

China

Final preparations underway as Shenzhou-23 crewed mission set for liftoff

2026-05-24 16:27 Last Updated At：17:17

The combination of the Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket, about to lift off Sunday night, now stands ready at the launch pad, with final preparations for the crewed mission proceeding in an orderly manner.

The launch is scheduled for 23:08 Beijing Time (15:08 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. At 12:08 (04:08 GMT), the launch sequence entered its final 11-hour phase.

Later Sunday afternoon, the mission personnel will load time-sensitive payloads into the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft. The four sets of rotating platforms enclosing the spacecraft-rocket combination are expected to be opened gradually around 21:00 (13:00 GMT).

The Shenzhou-23 crew consists of Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, with Zhu serving as the commander. They are now in good physical and mental condition and are fully qualified for the mission, according to China Manned Space Engineering Office.

In the hours leading up to the launch, the crew will focus on final checks of their physical, psychological and technical readiness, as well as will review key flight procedures and contingency plans to ensure they are in optimal condition for their journey into space.

Based on the latest meteorological consultation, weather conditions at the launch site are favorable for liftoff, with a temperature of around 19 degrees Celsius, westerly winds at four to six meters per second, and no sandstorms or precipitation.

Meanwhile, a cargo package containing nine scientific experiment samples and devices — including rice seeds and liver cells — has already been installed aboard the spaceship.

At around 17:00 (0900 GMT) Saturday, the rocket completed the loading of its oxidizer and fuel. Currently, all systems — including the rocket, the spacecraft, the launch site, and the telemetry, tracking and command network — have entered pre-launch procedures.

"All participating test systems have completed final check and confirmation of equipment and key personnel. The rocket propellant filling work was carried out smoothly according to the scheduled timeline. The Tiangong space station combination is operating stably in orbit, with preparations for docking and crew rotation now complete. The Shenzhou-23 crew members are in good physical and mental condition and are fully qualified for the mission. Currently, the technical status of all systems is under control, and all indicators meet the mission requirements," said Jian Bin, staff member of China Manned Space Engineering Office.

Serbian experts predict fruitful outcomes from Vucic's visit to China

Serbian officials and scholars expect that President Aleksandar Vucic's visit to China will further cement the ironclad friendship between the two countries and open up new avenues for cooperation.

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Vucic arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a state visit to China from May 24 to 28. During the visit, the two heads of state will exchange views on bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.

As the first European country that has agreed to jointly build a community with a shared future for the new era with China, Serbia is an important partner for China in Southeast Europe. According to high-level Serbian officials, the partnership could expand even further.

"I think that the most important one, apart [from] the infrastructure, will be scientific cooperation and widening the existing cooperation in each field, from infrastructure to culture. Our anchored friendship could become a role model for everyone else," said Marina Ragus, deputy speaker of Serbia's National Assembly.

Bojan Lalic, director of the Belt and Road Institute in Belgrade, anticipates that actions following the two presidents' discussions can bring stability to Serbia's economic and industrial development.

"We expect President Vucic and President Xi to have fruitful discussions, but also some following steps that will bring stability to our economy, to our industry. I truly believe that when speaking about the future, we are speaking about young people, (which) means education, research, science -- those are fields that I believe are fundamental for our exchange, for our future cooperation, and for our win-win achievements and success," said Lalic.

Ljubodrag Savic, a professor at the Faculty of Economy of the University of Belgrade, highlighted the importance of growing trade between the two countries. Since the signing of a bilateral free trade agreement in 2023, exports from Serbia to China nearly doubled, from 1.2 billion U.S dollars the year the agreement was signed to 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2025.

"China treats all countries equally, regardless of their size or so-called importance, maintaining friendly relations with countries around the world. The free trade agreement signed between Serbia and China grants Serbia preferential treatment. Most Serbian products can be exported to China almost duty-free. China is a truly valuable friend to Serbia," said the professor.