A Long March-2F carrier rocket was recently delivered to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, a spokesman with the country's manned space program said on Thursday.

The Long March-2F, a rocket designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology that will be used for the upcoming launch of the Shenzhou-9 manned spacecraft, has undergone technical advancements in order to improve its reliability and safety, the spokesman said.

Assembly and tests will be carried out for the rocket after its arrival, the spokesman said.

The launch site and its staff are prepared for the launch of the Shenzhou-9 after undergoing inspections and training, the spokesman said.

The Shenzhou-9 was sent to the launch center on April 9 and preparations for its manned rendezvous and docking mission are under way, the spokesman said.

China will launch the Shenzhou-9 between June and August this year, aiming to dock the craft with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space lab module.

The Tiangong-1, which was launched on September 29, 2011, was instrumental in China's first space docking mission, in which the unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft docked with the Tiangong-1 in early November 2011.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2012)