A China manned space program spokeswoman said in Jiuquan, Monday that the unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou-8 is scheduled to be launched at 5:58 a.m. Tuesday.

A modified Long March-2F rocket, the fuel of which is being refilled, will carry the spacecraft from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest desert areas, spokeswoman Wu Ping said.

Wu said technical conditions of all systems are normal, interfaces of different systems are coordinated, ground tests are adequate, contingency plans are ready and all facilities are sound, which meet requirements for a launch.

Shenzhou-8 is expected to dock with an experimental space module Tiangong-1 that was put into orbit on Sept. 29. The practice will take place within two days after the launch of Shenzhou-8, the latest step in what will be a decade-long effort to place a manned permanent space station in orbit.