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June 25, 2016
Long March 7 launch
China have conducted the maiden launch of the Long March 7 rocket on Saturday. The launch took place at 12:00 UTC, which also involved the inauguration of is new Wenchang Space Launch Center, located at the Hainan Island. The main payload for this mission was a scaled-down version of a next generation crew vehicle that is expected to be recovered in Inner Mongolia after a short orbital flight.
China's Long March-7 Succeeds in Maiden Flight
Long March 7 Maiden Flight
The development of the Chang Zheng-7 (CZ-7) (Long March-7 – LM-7) launch vehicle begin in May 2010, then designated the Chang Zheng-2F/H (CZ-2F/H). The new launcher is China’s new-generation medium-lift orbital launch vehicle, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).
The initial project was to be a modernized version of the CZ-2F, to be used on unmanned and manned flight missions in the China Manned Space Program. LM-7 will be mainly used for orbiting the new Tianzhou cargo vehicle for the Tiangong-2 program, which will progress into the modular Tiangong space station. Its future role will be to replace the hypergolic launchers of the LM-2, LM-3 and LM-4 rockets.
Chang Zheng-7 (CZ-7) (Long March-7 – LM-7)
Initial flights of the new launch vehicle will be classed as test launches before achieving an operational capability, at which point it will be qualified for manned launches. The new rocket is powered by the newly developed YF-100 – the first stage using two engines and strap-on boosters using a single engine each, and a YF-115 driven second stage using four engines. Both stages run on kerosene and liquid oxygen.
For more information about China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), visit: http://english.spacechina.com/n16421/index.html
Images, Video, Text, Credits: CASC/CCT+/News.cn/Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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