With Shenzhou V spaceship blasted into space,
China's "Long
March" carrier rockets have created the 29th successful launch
record in the history of China's space flight program since 1996.
Developed by China on its own, the "Long March" carrier rockets
fall into four series with 12 models. They are China's major
carrier rockets in its space flight program.
"Long March" carrier rockets have a payload capacity of 12 tons
for the launch into the low earth orbit and 5.2 tons for the launch
into the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
"Long March" carrier rockets can launch satellites into any
desired orbits, with the precision orbiting reaching advanced
levels in the world.
Since the launch of China's first man-made satellite on April
24, 1970, the "Long March" carrier rockets have made 71 launches,
sending 52 home-made satellites, 27 foreign satellites and five
"Shenzhou" spaceships into space.
Only six of the 71 launches failed. The success rate has reached
the same level as in developed countries.
"Long March" carrier rockets started to offer commercial
launches on April 7, 1990 when "Long March" CZ-3 successfully sent
a communications satellite into space for the US Hughes
company.
"Long March" carrier rockets have so far made 27 commercial
launches, occupying five percent of the international satellite
launch service market.
(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2003)
