China to launch Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft on Friday

China will launch the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site at 11:13 p.m. Beijing time on Friday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The Wenchang Space Launch Site is currently experiencing minimal winds with no thunderstorm activity, providing meteorological conditions suitable for the launch.

The Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft, combined with the Long March-7 Y9 carrier rocket, is held by the launch tower. White vapor can be seen emanating from the structure, which is a phenomenon after the rocket is injected with cryogenic propellant.

With the fueling process completed, the rocket is now poised for launch. All systems are proceeding in an orderly manner according to the workflow, Yao Ruijuan, a member of the rocket testing team, said. The rocket is in good condition, and ground equipment is operating smoothly, meeting the requirements for the launch mission.