Spacecraft automatic test system, a comprehensive spacecraft test information system based on the various spacecraft test specifications formalized as spacecraft test language, is an important means to improve test efficiency. With the new require- ments of the multi-spacecraft test in China, the study of the spacecraft test language becomes a new challenge for spacecraft test field. In this article, a high-order spacecraft test language, China aerospace test and operation language （CATOL）, is given asso- ciated with the current test requirements; meanwhile, the structure of the language is presented. Then, for characterizing and formalizing the spacecraft processes, the syntax and operational semantics of one of the sub-languages, CATOL-PR, are defined. Finally, the prototype system of this proposed language is presented. This language will improve the specification of spacecraft test work in China and the efficiency of spacecraft testers, and promote the development in spacecraft automatic test.
