Space program’s power surge
Print Edition
CHINA launched its most powerful rocket yet yesterday, as the country presses on with a program which has seen it become a major space power.
The Long March 5 rocket can carry up to 25 tons — around the same weight as 16 cars — into low Earth orbit, China Radio International said.
By contrast the US Saturn V, which delivered astronauts to the moon in 1969, was designed to deliver some 154 tons of payload to low Earth orbit.
The Chinese rocket launched from the Wenchang launch center in the tropical island province of Hainan at 8:43pm, Xinhua news agency reported.
Its components were transported to the island by ship, as they were too heavy to be moved by rail, reports said.
The rocket uses two kinds of fuel, kerosene and liquid oxygen as well as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, Xinhua cited its developer, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, as saying.
The rocket’s design will be used in future years to propel the core module of China’s permanent space station as well as lunar and Mars missions.
The nation’s first lunar rover was launched in late 2013, and while it was beset by mechanical troubles it far outlived its expected lifespan, finally shutting down only last month.
As well as building a Chinese space station, it intends to eventually put one of its citizens on the surface of the moon.
It announced in April it aims to send a spacecraft “around 2020” to orbit Mars, land and deploy a rover to the surface.
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