China’s Long March-5B carrier rocket arrived at the launch site in southern China’s Hainan Province Wednesday after a week of ocean and rail transport, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The rocket will take part in a joint rehearsal with the prototype of the Chinese space station’s core module at the Wenchang Space Launch Center. It is scheduled to make its maiden flight and launch the prototype of China’s new manned spaceship in April.
The Long March-5B is a modified version of Long March-5 rocket and will be China’s first 1.5-stage large carrier rocket, according to Wang Jue, chief commander of the Long March-5 rocket.
The rocket is 53.7 meters long, with a diameter of five meters and a liftoff weight of 849 tonnes. It uses pollution-free propellant including liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene. It has a carrying capacity of more than 22 tonnes in low-Earth orbit. It has the largest carrying capacity in low-Earth orbit among all Chinese rockets.
