China plans to develop a new generation of carrier rockets with an increased payload capacity in order to advance its lunar exploration program, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

The payload capacity of China's Long March series of carrier rockets will be increased from its current weight of 9.5 tons to 25 tons, an official with the corporation said.

"The development will greatly increase China's ability of peaceful uses of outer space," the official said, without specifying when the rockets will be ready for launch.

Huang Chunping, a leading Chinese aerospace expert, said the new generation of carrier rockets would have a large enough payload from which to launch a space station.

China on June 1 launched "SinoSat-3", a communications satellite for radio and television broadcasting, from a Long March-3A carrier rocket, marking the 100th flight of the Long March series.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2007)