The combination of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship and its Long March-2F carrier rocket is being transferred to the launching site in the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, in preparation for its scheduled launch into space later this month.
The combo, which weighs more than 43 tons and has a total altitude of nearly 60 meters, is being vertically moved to the launching site.
During the transfer process, an extremely high level of stability is required. To achieve this, engineers designed an oversized and heavy-duty mobile launch platform, providing solid support for the rocket and spacecraft assembly.
"Compared with previous years, this year has seen more frequent and stronger windy and sandy weathers. By means of accurate weather forecasts, we are able to select favorable time windows and carry out real-time direct transfers, ensuring better protection and safety of the products," said Zheng Yonghuang, chief engineer with the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The vertical transfer operation will take over two hours. Afterward, the rocket and spacecraft assembly will arrive at the launch tower, officially entering the launch preparation phase.
According to schedule, the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft is set to be launched at an appropriate time in the coming days.
The Shenzhou-20 space mission will replace the previous mission -- the Shenzhou 19 -- for a six-month stay at China's Tiangong space station in orbit.
Combination of Shenzhou-20 spaceship, carrier rocket being transferred to launching site
Colombian President Gustavo Petro mobilized a large-scale march in the capital Bogota on International Workers' Day, urging legislators to approve a national referendum on labor reforms.
Petro mobilized Colombians to march in support of the referendum after his initiatives faced legislative setbacks in Congress. The reforms, central to his administration's social transformation agenda, were recently defeated in the Senate amid strong opposition.
Seizing the symbolic timing of International Workers' Day, Petro reignited efforts to fulfill long-delayed campaign promises.
"(I come to this march to support) the labor reforms, the pension reforms, the health reforms," said Carlos, a citizen.
"The march has been peaceful. People are happy, and their passion is running high," said Rocio Duzant, another citizen.
Petro asked citizens to march all the way to Congress to pressure legislators into approving the national referendum, known in Colombia as a popular consultation. The proposed referendum would ask voters whether they agree or disagree with reforms to Colombia's labor laws.
"Since congress did not approve, the people are the ones who should decide, they should approve, they should be the ones to say yes to these labor reforms, through a popular consultation," said Sandra Jaimes, a Colombian senator.
The labor reforms aim to provide workers with increased access to health benefits and overtime pay.
"(In Colombia,) there are more workers without rights than workers with rights. Many don't get paid health benefits, pension, security. What we are looking for is labor stability, so that those thousands of workers can feel it," said Jaime Dussan, a former Colombian senator.
Colombians rally in capital on Int’l Workers' Day, urging labor reforms
