China to make more than 40 space launches in 2020
China expects to see more than 40 space launches in 2020, and will welcome the debut of its new types of rockets, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
The CASC released a bluebook for China's space science and technology activities, which introduces the development of China's aerospace industry.
The Long March-5B, a smaller variant of the Long March-5 and the strongest member of China's carrier rocket family, will make its maiden flight in 2020.
The Long March-7A will fill the gap of Chinese launch vehicles with a carrying capacity of 5.5 to seven tons to high orbit. It will be mainly used for launching missions to the geostationary transfer orbit and will also take its first flights in 2020.
"We took only 22 months to finish the process of demonstration to delivery (of Long March-7A). At the end of the last year, it finished the ex-factory test, and now it is under further testing. It is expected to be launched in the first half of this year," said Hu Xiaojun, the deputy chief designer assistant of Long March-7 carrier rocket.
The Long March-8, whose payload capability reaches around 4.5 tons to sun-synchronous orbit with an altitude of 700 kilometers, is expected to make its maiden flight in 2020.
Using China's new generation of carrier rocket technology, it has a strong competitiveness in the international commercial rocket market.
"We want to make it a cost-effective carrier rocket which is highly usable and safe to use. We want it to be a vital new force and the main force to compete in the commercial rocket market at home and abroad," said Wu Yitian, deputy chief engineer of Long March-8 carrier rocket.
Last year, China successfully completed the first offshore rocket launch with a Long March-11 rocket in the Yellow Sea.
According to the CASC, there will be three offshore launches with Long March-11 this year to enhance launch safety and reliability, optimize the management and technical processes to ensure an efficient offshore launch capability.
"All these three launches will go to sun-synchronous orbit. We will make adjustments according to the launch orbit of the sun-synchronous orbit. The preliminary judgment says the launch location could be in the East China Sea," said Jin Xin, the deputy chief commander of Long March-11 rocket.
(Source: CCTV+ via Reuters)
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