China’s new-generation carrier rocket, the Long March 12, was successfully launched from Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center on November 30, sending two experimental satellites into their planned orbits. It was the first mission to be undertaken at the Hainan launch center.
China’s new-generation carrier rocket, the Long March 12, was successfully launched from Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center on November 30. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The rocket was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. With a length of about 62 meters, it features a two-stage design. It is currently the country's largest single-core carrier rocket in payload capacity.
The rocket was designed to have a carrying capacity of no less than 12 tons in low Earth orbit and no less than 6 tons in 700-km sun-synchronous orbit.
A series of new technologies were also employed to enhance the rocket’s reliability, safety and cost-effectiveness. Its fairing has standard diameter configurations of 4.2 meters and 5.2 meters, which can be adapted to different mission requirements.
The Long March 12 carrier rocket is ready for frequent launch missions and will effectively enhance China's ability to place satellites into sun-synchronous orbits and set up a multi-constellation network in low Earth orbit.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
