China prepares to launch Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship

BEIJING, April 17 -- The combination of the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket has been transferred to the launching area, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on Wednesday.

According to the CMSA, the facilities and equipment at the launch site in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China are in good condition, and various pre-launch function checks and joint tests will be carried out as planned.

The spaceship will be launched at an appropriate time in the near future, said the CMSA.