China News Service, Beijing, December 22 (Guo Chaokai) At 12:37 on December 22, Beijing time, the Long March 8 carrier rocket was successfully launched at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, sending five satellites with "one arrow and five stars". Into the scheduled track.

This is the first flight mission of the new generation of medium-sized carrier rocket, the Long March 8 independently developed by China, and the 356th flight of the Long March series of carrier rockets.

The Long March 8 rocket made its first flight.

Photo by Wanke

  The Long March 8 launch vehicle project was approved by the China National Space Administration in 2017 and organized and implemented. The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology affiliated to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is responsible for the development of the launch vehicle system.

The rocket adopts a core-stage bundle with two boosters configuration, with a total length of about 50.3 meters, a take-off mass of about 356 tons, a take-off thrust of about 480 tons, and a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit with a carrying capacity of not less than 4.5 tons.

  With the continuous development of China's aerospace technology, the demand for the launch of medium and low orbit satellites is growing.

Previously, there was still a gap in the carrying capacity of China's new-generation carrier rockets, which could not meet the launch requirements of 3 to 4.5 tons in sun-synchronous orbit.

The Long March Rocket family urgently needs to introduce a "new member" to take up the heavy responsibilities.

The Long March 8 carrier rocket came into being. It can increase the carrying capacity of the Chinese carrier rocket's sun-synchronous transfer orbit from 3 tons to 4.5 tons.

  Xiao Yun, commander-in-chief of the Long March 8 launch vehicle of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told reporters: “The successful first flight of the Long March 8 launch vehicle will strongly promote the upgrading of China’s medium-sized launch vehicles and is expected to become China’s future medium and low orbit satellite launch market. The main rocket provides strong support for subsequent satellite Internet projects, new infrastructure projects, and satellite networking projects."

  According to reports, the Long March 8 rocket is China's first medium-to-large rocket that has not been developed for full-arrow modal testing. It uses a combination of virtual and real modal analysis technology.

The development and exploration of the Long March 8 rocket can lay the foundation for the subsequent modal synthesis technology of other large and heavy rockets, greatly shorten the development cycle and reduce development costs.

  Song Zhengyu, chief designer of the Long March 8 launch vehicle of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, said that the Long March 8 rocket for this mission has already carried out the verification of repeatable and intelligent related technologies.

In the future development, the Long March 8 rocket will take reusable technology and smart rockets as one of the key points of its development. It will continue to explore during the flight, accumulate flight samples, and contribute to the development of China's aerospace.

  The new technology carried by the Long March 8 launch vehicle for the first flight verified that the five experimental satellites of No. 7, Haise No. 1, Yuanguang, Apocalypse Constellation 08, and Zhixing No. 1A satellites accurately entered the predetermined orbit, and the relevant satellite load will Carry out on-orbit verification of microwave imaging and other technologies, and carry out space science, remote sensing, and communication technology experiments and applications. (Finish)