The Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in the middle of June.

The spacecraft will carry three astronauts and dock with the Tiangong-1.

During the mission, astronauts will also teach a lesson to a group of students via a video feed.

The first and second stage launchers of the Long March 2-F rocket which will carry China's new manned spacecraft Shenzhou-10 are placed at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center for further test in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province, May 3, 2013. The Long March 2-F rocket was delivered to the center on May 2 and it is technologically advanced and more reliable compared to the one that carried the Shenzhou-9. Shenzhou-10, scheduled to blast off early next month, was delivered to the launch center in northwest China on March 31. (Xinhua/Liang Jie)

The Shenzhou-10 manned spacecraft is scheduled to be launched in the middle of June, a spokesperson for China's manned space program announced on Monday.

The mission has entered the final phase of preparations, with the modified model of the Long March-2F carrier rocket and spacecraft being transported to the launch site on Monday morning, said the spokesperson. >> More

The spacecraft, which will be launched in mid-June from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, will carry three astronauts and dock with the Tiangong-1, a target orbiter and space module sent to space in 2011. >> More

During the mission, astronauts will also teach a lesson to a group of students via a video feed, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that after propellant was injected into the Shenzhou-10, the launch platform carrying the spacecraft and carrier rocket was safely transported out of the assembly and testing plant to the launch tower on Monday morning. >> More

The spokesperson added that the functional examination and the joint tests of the spacecraft, carrier rocket and ground facilities will be conducted at the launch site in the next few days.

The Shenzhou-10 will dock with the Tiangong-1, where astronauts will conduct space science experiments and offer lessons to students back on Earth. The space module entered the appropriate docking orbit at the end of May and is now running normally, the spokesperson added.

Preparations are going smoothly for all eight major systems of the missions. Astronauts have finished training sessions, including special simulated training on the ground for space experimentation and teaching during the mission, said the spokesperson.