China News Agency, Beijing, August 20th (Ma Shuaisha) On August 20th, the Long March 2D carrier rocket successfully launched the remote sensing 35 group 04 satellites.

The Long March series of launch vehicles took just over 830 days to create a new record of 103 consecutive successful launches.

In the meantime, what breakthroughs have been made by China's Long March series of rockets?

How is the development of the new rocket?

How to plan for the future?

Hao Changfeng, a spokesman for China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, answered.

At 1:37 on August 20, 2022, Beijing time, China used the Long March 2D carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to successfully launch the remote sensing 35-group 04 satellite into space.

Photo by Ying Longfei

The new winning streak only took more than 830 days

  From the successful launch of the 17th returnable satellite by the Long March 2D carrier rocket on October 20, 1996 to the successful launch of the Ocean-2 satellite by the Long March 4B carrier rocket on August 6, 2011, China's Long March series rockets have launched 102 consecutive times The success lasted 15 years.

Since May 5, 2020, the Long March Rockets have set a new winning streak record of 103 times, and it only took more than 830 days to complete this record.

  Among the 103 launches, the Long March series of carrier rockets have successfully lifted the "Shenzhou" to fly, "Beidou" to guide the way, "Chang'e" to probe the moon, "Zhu Rong" to probe the fire, "Xihe" to the sun, "Tianhe" and "Ask the sky" Travelling to the stars; the Long March 8 carrier rocket "one arrow 22 satellites" successfully launched, setting a new record for China's one-rocket multi-satellite launch; the Long March 5B carrier rocket successfully launched China's largest single spacecraft Wentian experimental module; Long March 5 B. New models such as Long March No. 6 and Long March No. 8 successfully flew for the first time, and the type spectrum of a new generation of launch vehicles was gradually improved.

  Hao Changfeng said that at present, more than 10 types of Long March rockets in service can not only launch satellites, space stations, manned/cargo spacecraft to different earth orbits, but also have the ability to launch unmanned deep space probes, and their strength has reached the world's advanced level.

At 1:37 on August 20, 2022, Beijing time, China used the Long March 2D carrier rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center to successfully launch the remote sensing 35-group 04 satellite into space.

Photo by Ying Longfei

How is the development of the new rocket

  Hao Changfeng said that the new generation of manned launch vehicles currently under development will have the ability to send Chinese people to the moon around 2030; the planned heavy launch vehicles, after successful development, will further enhance China's ability to carry the Earth-Moon transfer orbit. It will be increased to 50 tons to support lunar development activities; the current planned series of research and development of reusable space transportation systems will greatly improve China's ability to enter space, reduce the cost of entering space, and help the future development of space transportation.

  According to international experience, improving the carrying capacity of rockets and realizing the reusability of rockets are important technical means to improve the efficiency and efficiency of space entry of launch vehicles.

Hao Changfeng said that in the follow-up, the Aerospace Science and Technology Group will accelerate the research and development of reusable launch vehicle technology, and realize the engineering application of reusable technology as soon as possible; accelerate the key technology research and program demonstration of heavy-duty launch vehicles, and realize the 100-ton carrying capacity as soon as possible, greatly improving. China's ability to enter and use space.

More than 50 space launches planned this year

  The Long March 2D carrier rocket that carried out this launch mission has achieved 62 consecutive successful launches since its first flight on August 9, 1992. It is a steady, safe and reliable "golden rocket". It will usher in a high-density launch situation with an average of more than 10 rounds per year.

  Hao Changfeng said that at present, China's aerospace industry has entered the stage of normalization of high-density launches. The Long March series of launch vehicles, as the main force of China's aerospace industry, have carried out 433 launch missions and successively sent more than 700 spacecraft into space. This year, the Aerospace Science and Technology Group More than 50 space launch missions are planned.

  It is understood that there are currently more than 500 application satellites in orbit in China, and communication satellites, navigation satellites, and remote sensing satellites have "flyed into ordinary people's homes" to serve the national economy and people's livelihood.

The Beidou-3 global satellite navigation system provides high-precision services for users around the world, and provides security services for more than 7 million road operation vehicles and 40,000 marine fishing boats; the global user "circle of friends" of Fengyun Meteorological Satellite has increased to more than 100 countries and regions, and contribute China's aerospace wisdom to building an international meteorological disaster prevention, mitigation and relief system, participating in the reform of the global governance system, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

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