The Long March-2F Y20 carrier rocket and Shenzhou-20 crew spacecraft assembly completed vertical transfer on Wednesday from the assembly facility to the launchpad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, marking a crucial phase in China's upcoming manned space mission.

The rocket's payload fairing encapsulates the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, which is scheduled to transport three astronauts to orbit. The carefully orchestrated vertical transfer operation took over two hours to complete.

According to the mission schedule, the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft will be launched at an optimal window in the near future.

Read more: China finalizes crew list for Shenzhou-20, Shenzhou-21 space missions