Source: Xinhua News Agency

10-21-2007 08:58

Chinese artist view of a Dongfanghong-3 communications satellite in space. The Chang'e-1 lunar probe will be a Moon satellite based on this Earth satellite design. It would be launched on a Long March 3A rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern Sichuan Province. (Photo: spacetoday.org)

With the successful launch of the Beidou navigation and positioning satellite, the Long-March launchers have raised the success rate of this Chinese technology to 90 percent. Chinese aeronautical experts said the overall technology embodied in China's Long-March carrier rockets has already met international standards.

The successful launch of the Beidou navigation and positioning satellite has raised the success rate of the Long-March launchers to 90 percent from 89.8 percent. According to relevant statistics, the success rate of America's Delta carrier rockets is 94 percent, the success rate of the European Ariane carrier rockets is 93 percent, and the Russian Proton carrier rockets, 90 percent.

Since the Long-March launcher put China's first man-made satellite, Dongfanghong (Red East) 1, into orbit, the carrier rockets have successfully sent 52 different Chinese-made satellites, 27 foreign satellites and four Shenzhou space shuttles into space. Over the past 14 years, China's astronautic technology has developed rapidly and continuously. The Long-March carrier rockets alone have made 50 launches. The 28 continuously successful launches of the Long-March carrier rockets since October 1996 show China's astronautic technology capability.

From propulsion in normal to low temperature, from series connection rocket to carrier rocket, from launching satellite load to launching manned spaceship, Long-March launchers have passed many different technology experiences.

Now the Long-March family has 12 different kinds of rockets, and they are capable of launching spacecraft in different orbits.

According to experts, in order to raise the rockets' competitive edge in the world launch market, scientists are actively researching and developing a new carrier rocket that is non-polluting, low cost, reliable, adaptable and secure.

 

Editor:Yang Jie