By Li Hongmei

 

 

China plans to launch 30 rockets next year, including two of its new generation heavy-lift launch systems, known as the Changzheng or Long March series of carrier rockets, reports the Beijing Morning Post, citing Liang Xiaohong, Party secretary of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

Liang told the paper on Jan. 20 that China is going to launch 14 rockets this year, and the number will increase to around 30 in 2015. By that time, the country will have launched 200 Changzheng rockets since 1970, Liang said.

He added that the country took 21 years to launch its first 50 rockets and then nine years to launch another 50. It will be a great leap forward for the development of the nation's space program if the country can continue its progress and launch another 100 rockets in five years, Liang said.

The high point next year will be the launch of the country's new Changzheng 5 and Changzheng 7 heavy lift launch systems, according to the official. Designed to replace the Changzheng 2, the vehicles are able to send a 1.5 to 25 tonne payload to low earth orbit, or a 1.5 to 14 tonne payload to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

As for the Chanzheng 7, it is able to send a 5,500 kilogram payload into a sun-synchronous orbit. By launching the two rockets, Liang said that China will be able to prove that it can design and develop advanced heavy lift launch systems like those of the United States.