China hinted that they are planning to launch a new space station into the orbit later this year on a high-end rocket designed to be more affordable compared to other rockets privately launched like the SpaceX.
The official state-run press agency of the Pople's Republic of China , Xinhua News Agency, reported on Monday that the China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) will send Chinese Space Station (CSS) core module to its launch site at the Wenchang Space Launch Center before the year ends in preparation for the stations missions in space. China plans to launch the CSS in 2020.
It was confirmed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALVT) on Tuesday that the new Long March-5B heavy-lift rocket will be tested in the first half of 2019. Tiangong-2 space lab, the current space station of China, was launched in 2016 and it is scheduled to be de-orbited in the second half of this year. The new space station was designed to last for a decade in the orbit.
China's most powerful rocket, the Long March-5B, is a development from the Long March 5 and it is part of China's "Dragon Series". The CALVT said that the CSS might be launched into the orbit earlier than expected if the Long March-5Bfirst maiden flight in the first half of 2019 is successful. It is possible its second or third launch this year might send the CSS into the orbit.
The rocket is named Smart Dragon-1 (SD-1) and it is designed to launch a four crewed spaceflights that will enable the astronauts to build the CSS. China has plans to commercialize the rockets. They intend to make it available for private companies for their launch of single or multiple satellites.
CALVT said that Long March-5B provides an affordable option for companies to send payloads into space compared to the rockets offered in the current international market. They also claim that the rockets can be made in just six months and it only takes a 24-hour preparation for launch.
The Chinese government has been making great efforts to expand its space program. China recently launched a successful space module into the dark side of the moon, making them the first country to land a craft on the unknown parts of the moon. It is one of the most advanced and major achievements of the Asian superpower in its space programs. It also gives them edge towards their other competitors in space exploration.
