中国即将发射载人飞船神舟9号

The impending launch of the manned Shenzhou IX spacecraft will be the first time that China's astronauts will stay in space for more than 10 days.The mission will also complete the country's first manned space docking to master the necessary technology for assembling a space station, see China's first female astronaut in space and have astronauts entering a space lab module for the first time.

Astronauts Liu Yang, Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang wave during the departure ceremony at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu province, June 16.[Photo/Xinhua]

4:25 pm, June 16

Chinese astronauts enter the Shenzhou IX spacecraft, ready to set out at Jiuquan in Northwest China's Gansu province, June 16, 2012.

4:05 pm, June 16

Chinese astronauts arrive at the launch pad at Jiuquan in Northwest China's Gansu province, June 16, 2012.

3:40 pm, June 16

Top legislator Wu Bangguo delivers speech at the departure ceremony in Jiuquan, Northwest China's Gansu province, June 16, 2012.

3: 30 pm, June 16

The Jiuquan Satellite Launch center holds a departure ceremony for China's first female astronaut and two male crew mates, due to board the Shenzhou IX spacecraft, on Saturday afternoon.

5:30 pm, June 15

Shenzhou IX's upgraded Long March-2F carrier rocket starts being fueled at 5:30 pm, June 15.

China will launch its Shenzhou IX manned spacecraft at 6:37 pm Saturday, sending the country's first female astronaut into space, a spokeswoman said Friday.

Three astronauts, two male and one female, will travel aboard the spacecraft to complete the country's first manual space docking test, said Wu Ping, spokeswoman for China's manned space program, at a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.