China successfully launched its new heavylift carrier rocket(重型运载火箭) Long March V at 8:43 pm Beijing time, on Nov. 3, 2016. It is the second launch from the Wenchang Launch Centre.
The rocket, which looked much "fatter" than other Long March rockets, was launched from the Wenchang Launch Centre in south China's Hainan Province, About 30 minutes later, it was successfully sent into an orbit(轨道) about 2, 000 km above the earth.
The major purposes of the task are to check the design and performance of the new rocket and test the rocket's flight program. The successful launch has made China from a major player in space to a major power in space. The successful launch shows that China has become a real space power in the world.
The Long March V is a large, two-stage(二级的) rocket and one of China's largest carrier rockets. Its carrying capacity is about 2. 5 times that of the present Long March rockets, which is up to 25 tons.
The rocket is about 57 metres long. It has eight liquid oxygen rocket engines in four boosters(助推器), two liquid oxygen engines in the first stage and two small liquid oxygen engines in the second stage.
The new rocket is of great meaning as China's space program. With the heavy lift carrier rocket, China can send more astronauts to the space station and get prepared for exploring the Moon and Mars.
