China moves largest carrier rocket Long March 5 for space mission
Q. China is moving its largest carrier rocket to be used for lunar and Mars probes to launch base in southern Hainan. What is its name?- Published on 29 Aug 16a. Long March 4
b. Long March 5
c. Long March 6
d. Long March 7
e. Long March 8
ANSWER: Long March 5
China is moving its new largest carrier rocket which will be be used for lunar and Mars probes to its launch base in southern Hainan from northern China’s Tianjin Port.
- Long March 5 rocket carrier by two special rocket carrying ships, Yuanwang 21 and Yuanwang 22 will arrive at Qinglan Port in Wrenching Hainan Province early next month.
- As the country’s strongest carrier rocket, Long March 5 has a payload capacity of 25 tonnes in low Earth orbit and 14 tonnes in geostationary orbit.
- The rocket is planned to carry the Chang’e 5 lunar probe in 2017 and will be used to launch China’s space station modules and Mars probes
- It represents a landmark in the country’s carrier rocket upgrading and has expanded the diameter of the liquid fuel rockets to 5 metres from 3.35 metres and will improve space entering capabilities by 2.5 times.
- Instead of highly toxic propellants, the rocket uses liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and lox kerosene as fuel, making it eco friendly.
- Its engines can produce a thrust of more than 1000 tonnes when taking off. It has taken the researchers 16 years to build the rocket after nearly 7000 tests
- The rocket was developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace and Technology Corporation.
- Completed in 2014 the Wenchang site, the court of its kind in China will form the launchpad for the mission
- Being the closest site to the equator, Wenchang boasts many advantages when it comes to latitude
- Satellites launched near the equator have a longer service life as they have shorter journey to make it to geostationary orbit and make fuel savings.
