Rocket on pad, China ready to send 1st crew to space station

BEIJING (AP) — The rocket that will send the first crew members to China’s new space station has been moved onto the launch pad ahead of its planned blastoff next week. The three astronauts plan to spend three months on the space station doing spacewalks, maintenance work and science experiments. The main section of the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, station was launched into orbit on April 29. China said the Long March-2F Y12 rocket carrying the Shenzhou-12 spaceship with the crew was transferred to the launch pad Wednesday. The launch would be the third of 11 that are planned to maintain the station and send up crew members and supplies.