China aims to get its citizens one step closer to the moon this month . The country 's space program plans to dock its first manned spacecraft on its orbiting space laboratory in mid-June , China 's state media reported Saturday . If all goes as planned , China will be the third nation after the United States and Russia to complete a manned docking . The spacecraft , called the Shenzhou-9 and its carrier rocket , the Long March-2F , were moved to a launch platform in northwest China 's Gansu province Saturday to allow scientists to conduct tests before the launch , according to Xinhua . The Chinese news agency reported that female astronauts may be among the three-person crew to dock on the Tiangong-1 space lab module , which was launched into space in September . In March , Niu Hongguang , deputy commander-in-chief of China 's manned space program , spoke about the possibility of including female astronauts and was quoted in Xinhua as saying the final selection will be decided `` on the very last condition . '' One of the crewmembers will not board the lab , as a precaution in case of an emergency should arise , a spokesperson for the space program said in February . China has big aspirations for its space program with hopes to build a space station like the International Space Station and to conduct a manned mission to the moon . China rockets forward in race to moon . Last November , the Tiangong-1successfully completed China 's first space docking mission with an unmanned spacecraft , Shenzhou-8 , according to Xinhua . The efforts demonstrate `` China 's continued commitment to becoming a first-class space power with an independent space capability , '' Taylor Fravel , associate professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology , said this year . `` This is a very exclusive club . '' On Thursday in Beijing , the China National Space Administration and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission signed a space cooperation plan through 2020 , state-run China Daily reported . The agreement was signed , while Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari was visiting for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit . China 's efforts come as the United States refocuses its space program toward deep space exploration , and private companies like SpaceX make strides toward the commercialization of spaceflight . Last month SpaceX 's unmanned Dragon capsule completed the first ever commercial mission to the International Space Station .
The spacecraft and its carrier rocket were moved to a launch platform Saturday . Female astronauts will be among the three - man crew , Xinhua reports . Final selection will be decided ` ` on the very last condition , '' it cites them as such . China hopes to build a space station , conduct a manned mission to the moon .