China prepares Shenzhou-20 for liftoff

The upcoming launch of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft has undergone comprehensive optimizations aimed at further improving reliability and safety, according to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced last week that the spacecraft will be launched at an appropriate time in the near future. The combination of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket has been transferred to the launching area, according to the CMSA.

Compared with the Shenzhou-19 mission, the rocket system for Shenzhou-20 has seen more than 20 upgrades, covering areas such as manufacturing techniques, data transmission, and reliability enhancement.

"The rocket is now equipped with more cameras, and video resolution has also been comprehensively upgraded to full HD. These enable us to have a more comprehensive monitoring of its flight status," said Qiao Liqing, a staff member at the launch center.

In addition, an intelligent launch command and management system, developed on the basis of over 200,000 equipment parameters, thousands of image data streams, and hundreds of technical documents, will be put into use during the Shenzhou-20 launch, the first time in a crewed mission.

The system allows commanders and operators at various posts to better understand the upcoming tasks and receive intelligent decision-making support, significantly boosting overall work quality and efficiency.

"This year, we've also introduced the rocket's digital companion system for the first time, enabling visualized monitoring of critical processes such as final inspections and full-system rehearsals. The system supports real-time interpretation of test data and accurate simulation of the rocket's flight status," said Hu Yonggang, another staff member at the center.

In addition to technical enhancements, the launch center has intensified efforts in talent development.