The crewed Shenzhou-19 spacecraft and the Long March-2F carrier rocket sit Tuesday at the launch area at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China’s Gansu province. Photo: VCG

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft-rocket assembly weighs over 40 tons and stands nearly 60 meters (197 feet) tall, according to state media CCTV. Photo: VCG

The transfer to the launch area takes about two hours, CCTV reported. Photo: VCG

The launch will take place in the coming days following a battery of pre-flight tests, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Photo: VCG

The Shenzhou-19 launch is one of the two crewed spaceflight missions China has planned for this year. The first one, which took place in April, carried three astronauts into space. Photo: VCG