China ready to launch next crew to its orbiting space station

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft sitting atop a Long March rocket is seen ahead of its launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in China (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China said all systems are ready to launch the next crew to its orbiting space station early on Wednesday, the latest mission to make the country a major space power.

The two men and one woman will replace the astronauts who have lived on the Tiangong space station for the last six months.