New rocket debuts at Hainan spaceport with advanced design

New rocket debuts at Hainan spaceport with advanced design
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 03, 2024

China's space ambitions took another step forward as the Long March 12 rocket completed its inaugural flight Saturday night, launching from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in Hainan province. The event marked the first mission conducted by the nation's first commercial-dedicated spaceport.

A crowd of onlookers witnessed the late-night liftoff at 10:25 pm, as the rocket ascended from the No. 2 launchpad. Propelled by four liquid oxygen-kerosene engines, the rocket carried two experimental satellites, which successfully entered their designated orbits shortly after launch.

The Long March 12, designed by the Shanghai Aerospace System Engineering Institute under the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is the 22nd addition to the Long March rocket family. It becomes the 17th member of the operational fleet supporting China's rapidly growing space program.

At 62.6 meters tall, the two-stage rocket ranks as the second-tallest in the Long March series, closely following the 62.8-meter Long March 5. Uniquely, it is the first Chinese rocket with a 3.8-meter diameter, surpassing the 3.35-meter standard that has been in place since the 1960s. This increased width accommodates four first-stage engines and larger fuel capacity, improving its carrying capability to over 12 tons for low-Earth orbit missions or 6 tons for sun-synchronous orbits.

Xie Li, a senior designer of the Long March 12, highlighted its advanced features, including an automatic ignition-malfunction detection system. "The system evaluates engine performance after ignition, ensuring all systems are functioning properly before releasing the hold-down clamps for liftoff," Xie explained. The system continues monitoring throughout the flight and can adjust the trajectory or take corrective actions if anomalies are detected.

The new model also benefits from reduced prelaunch preparation times, allowing the launch complex to handle more missions. Innovations extend to its second stage, which incorporates a lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy material. "The new alloy is 15 percent lighter and 28 percent stronger than earlier materials used in Long March rockets," Xie added.

This mission brings China's space launches for 2024 to a total of 59 and represents the 548th flight for the Long March family, further solidifying the nation's position in global space exploration.