A Long March 5 carrier rocket was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's Hainan Province on Dec 15, sending the Yaogan-41 satellite into orbit.
A Long March 5 carrier rocket, carrying the Yaogan-41 high-orbit optical remote sensing satellite, is launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's Hainan Province on Dec 15. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Generally developed by China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Yaogan-41 is a high-orbit optical remote sensing satellite.
A view of the Long March 5 carrier rocket at the plant [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Long March 5 carrier rocket, developed by CASC's China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, is a large-scale low-temperature liquid-fuel rocket with a launch weight of about 874 metric tons, a takeoff thrust of 1,068 tons and a carrying capacity in geostationary transfer orbit of 14 tons.
The carrier rocket launched on Dec 15 has a 5.2-meter diameter and 18.5-meter-high fairing, which is enough to carry effective payloads, making it capable of various kinds of tasks.
It is also the tallest among all Long March rockets in service.
The launch on Dec 15 was the 502nd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.
(Executive editor: Xie Yunxiao)
