China plans first seaborne rocket launch in mid-2019

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China plans to conduct its first seaborne rocket launch with a Long March-11 carrier rocket from the Yellow Sea in the middle of this year, said Jin Xin, the deputy chief commander of the rocket. China has achieved a breakthrough in the key technologies for seaborne launches, Jin, of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, told a press conference.

The Long March-11, with a length of 20.8 meters and a take-off weight of about 57.6 tonnes, is the only rocket using solid propellants among China’s new generation carrier rockets. It has a relatively simple structure and can be launched in a short time.

After leaving port, the rocket could be launched within a week, Jin said. The rocket can carry a payload of up to 350 kg to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700-km and 700 kg to a low-Earth orbit at 200-km. It is mainly used to carry small satellites, and can take multiple satellites into orbit at the same time. A seaborne launch has many advantages over a land launch, Jin said. For instance, the launch site is flexible, and falling rocket pose less danger.