The Long March-7 carrier rocket carrying the Tianzhou-3 cargo ship was vertically transported to the launch pad at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province on Thursday morning, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

The whole process took about two hours and 40 minutes and involved some 200 staffers.

Shao Yetao, chief designer of the Long March-7 carrier rocket at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, said that the carrier rocket has had upgrades for the new launch mission, especially to its water- and moisture-proof function, to ensure a smooth launch in unfavorable weather conditions.

"We held a comprehensive check on the impermeability of the cryogenic rocket. We increased the effectiveness of the test methods, satisfying the sealing requirement on all gas and liquid," Shao said.

Tianzhou-3 and the Long March-7 carrier rocket will undergo final tests before their planned launch to China's space station in the coming days.

(CGTN's Li Qian contributed to this story.)