Long Lehao, chief commander of the launch vehicle of the Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, said Thursday that scientists in China have begun research on key technology for the planned carrier rockets.

The gray-haired Long, chairman of the Sciences and Technology Council of the academy, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that the plan to develop two types of engine systems for the rockets had won approval from the central government.

With regard to the core technology for the rockets, Long, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that China has the capability to develop a next-generation launch vehicle.

"If the entire research and development project is approved by the Chinese government next year, it will take us only five to six years to develop the new rockets."

"Hopefully, the rockets will be ready for commercial launch," said the scientists.

Based on China's existing Long March launch vehicle technology, the planned rockets encompass 14 varieties and have a launch capability of between 1.2 and 25 tons in low earth orbit, and 1.8 to 14 tons in geostationary transfer orbit, he said.

"Liquid hydrogen and oxygen, which are non-toxic and environmentally-friendly," he acknowledged, "will be used as rocket propellant."

The research and development programs, if launched completely, will help China to catch up with developed nations in the launch vehicle field and improve its competitive edge in the international commercial launch market, he said.

Moreover, Long said, they are also critical for China's future space programs, including a proposed manned mission to the Moon.

China's existing launch vehicle is not powerful enough to send astronauts to the moon, he added.

In the next decade, Europe, Japan and the United States will provide a range of launch services with next generation launch vehicles that are pollution-free, user-friendly, powerful, highly-reliable and with a powerful launch capability, yet easy to operate.

China have to keep pace with the trend in this regard to maintain its status as one of the world's major aerospace powers, he said.

Long also renewed his appeal for the building of a launch site for the next generation rockets on China's southernmost island province of Hainan.

China's existing launch sites, namely Jiuquan in northwestern Gansu province, Xichang in southwestern Sichuan province and Taiyuan in north China's Shanxi province, are all located in the country's interior areas.

Their geographic locations, nevertheless, lead to a few safety and transportation problems as well as losses in launch capacity due to their high latitudes, he explained.

Long said that a launch site on the tropical island of Hainan will surely put an end to these defects and provide a much more ideal venue for cooperation and exchange with other nations.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2003)