The Shenzhou 9 spacecraft is also scheduled to register a technological achievement today in the manned docking with the Chinese space laboratory Taigong 1
Update after the successful launch at this link
China will launch at 13:30 p.m. the Shenzhou 9 manned spacecraft with a crew of three astronauts, including the first Chinese female astronaut.
They will connect in space to the Tiangong 1 space laboratory, which was launched in September 2011 and near the launch the unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou 8 also reached it and performed a docking maneuver.
The team includes Liu Yang, the first Chinese technonaut, and with her also Jing Haifeng, the commander of the spaceship who has already flown twice into space and Liu Wang, who is on his first flight.
Shenzhou 9 will be launched from the Jiquan Space Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in western China.
33-year-old Liu Yang is a fighter pilot. In an interview with Chinese television, she said: "From day one, I was told that there is no difference between male astronauts and female astronauts. I believe in perseverance. Those who persevere will succeed."
Liu joined the Techonauts training program in May 2010 and was selected as a candidate for the space station docking mission after passing the tests.
She first trained as a cargo pilot and on one of her flights she showed composure when a flock of birds damaged the plane's engine, she managed to land the damaged plane safely.
