China finetuning its space program with launch of two heavy carrier rockets

China is finetuning its space programs and plan to send two new models of its heavy carrier rocket on their maiden space trips this year. This has been announced by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASC) and reported in zeenews.india.com dated 17 January 2016.

China's strongest carrier rocket is Long March-5 and it has a payload capacity of 25 tonnes to low Earth orbit, or 14 tonnes to geostationary transfer orbit. It would be carrying the Chang'e-5 lunar probe around 2017 to finish the last chapter in China's three-step (orbiting, landing and return) moon exploration program.
As per the statement of CASC, Long March-5 is at present being tested at a launch site in south China's Hainan Province.
The second activity is for a medium-sized rocket Long March-7 to carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit or 5.5 tonnes to sun-synchronous orbit at a height of 700 kilometers. It will be using a liquid propellant. This will carry cargo craft for the planned space station.
The CASC has said that success of these two carrier rockets' maiden flights will significantly boost China's ability to enter space and help realize leapfrog development in its space transportation system.
Both the rockets were developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the CASC. The academy would be responsible for the launch of 15 space missions this year. These would cover manned space projects, China's satellite navigation system and satellites for civilian and commercial uses.
This year (2016) China's Long March-3B rocket has taken a Belarusian telecom satellite into intended orbit from southwest China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center. It was China's first orbital mission of 2016 and the 223rd launch of the Long March series.


(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Abhi Shake for industries to boost Bengal’s image (satire)

Rum Mudda reminds Moody about temples (satire)

Lord Shiva’s solution for global warming – go under water (satire)


Beautiful diners get tables near windows or high visibility areas in restaurants

Ahmedabad hosts 13th edition of 'Sattvik' - the pan-India food festival

53-year-old British woman flew 13000-mile in 1942 bi-plane from Farnborough to Sydney


Shah Rukh Khan’s fond wish - to see Ethan Hunt and James Bond in one movie

'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release in Dcember 2017

Aamir Khan no longer the face of Incredible India


Motorcycle riding gunmen open fire upon tourists as they boarded bus in Cairo

Woman with fake passport in a British Airways flight from Ibiza leads to panic

German police hunting for seven suicide bombers who planned to blow up Munich railway stations