A Long March-7 Y10 carrier rocket carrying cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-9 blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, July 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

WENCHANG, Hainan, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China launched the cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-9 in the early morning of Tuesday to deliver supplies for its orbiting Tiangong space station, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

The Long March-7 Y10 rocket, carrying Tianzhou-9, blasted off at 5:34 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, the agency said.

After about 10 minutes, Tianzhou-9 separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. Its solar panels soon unfolded. The agency declared the launch a complete success.

At 8:52 a.m. (Beijing Time), Tianzhou-9 successfully docked at the rear docking port of Tianhe, the core module of China's space station Tiangong. The Shenzhou-20 crew members onboard the space station will enter the cargo craft and transfer the payloads as scheduled.

Tianzhou-9, measuring 10.6 meters in length and 3.35 meters at its maximum diameter, is tasked with delivering supplies to the crews of the Shenzhou-20 and Shenzhou-21 missions.

It is loaded with essential supplies, totaling approximately 6.5 tonnes, including consumables for the orbiting crew, propellant, and equipment for application experiments and tests. This is the largest amount of cargo since Tianzhou-6.

Notably, two new sets of independently developed extravehicular spacesuits are onboard the craft. Their design lifespan has been significantly increased from 15 extravehicular activities (EVAs) within three years to 20 EVAs within four years, according to the reports from the state broadcaster CCTV.

Among the supplies carried by the Tianzhou-9 cargo craft is a new core muscle exercise device, helping astronauts avoid muscle atrophy in the microgravity environment of space.

Long-term spaceflight has specific impacts on astronauts' bodies, including muscle atrophy and decreased cardiovascular function. China has already equipped its space station with devices for running, cycling, and microgravity resistance exercise.

On this basis, to meet the needs of future long-term missions, the core muscle exercise device was developed. It can enhance the core muscle function of astronauts, prevent atrophy of the paraspinal muscles, and alleviate muscle pain after returning to Earth.

A brain organoid chip is also onboard the Tianzhou-9 cargo craft. It is capable of simulating the complex microenvironment and functions of the human brain.

Studies have shown that astronauts who stay in space stations for extended periods often experience issues such as dizziness, sleep disorders, and changes in cognitive function, according to CCTV.

Sending these brain-simulating organ chips to the space station can help scientists study the mechanisms through which the space environment impacts the human brain. This will provide new strategies and interventions for long-term survival and health maintenance in space.

Furthermore, brain organoid chips can also provide important support for the research of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

This image captured at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center on July 15, 2025 shows China's cargo craft Tianzhou-9 docked at the rear docking port of Tianhe, the core module of China's space station Tiangong.(Photo by Zhou Keyi/Xinhua)

The relay terminal onboard Tianzhou-9 can autonomously acquire and track the Tianlian relay satellites, establishing a communication link from the cargo craft to the relay satellites and then to the ground, ensuring real-time bidirectional information transmission.

Tuesday's mission is the fourth cargo resupply flight of China's manned space program since the space station entered the application and development phase. It is also the 584th mission of the Long March rocket series.

The Long March-7 rocket, with a total length of 53.1 meters and a diameter of 3.35 meters, is a new-generation medium-lift launch vehicle in China, characterized by its high reliability, high safety, and environmentally friendly design. The rocket has a low-Earth orbit payload capacity of up to 14 tonnes.