China opens its new Long-march rocket family, including giant launch vehicle

2012-06-27 — (China Military News by china-defense-mashup.com) In its newest 2011 “Social Responsibility Report”, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) unleashes a new family of future “Long-March” rocket, including CZ-11, CZ-6, CZ-7, CZ-5, CZ-5B and CZ-9.

CZ-6:

CZ-6 is a new generation of small launch vehicle. Rocket has full length 29.237m, take-off mass of 103.217t, takeoff thrust to weight ratio of 1.20, the maximum dynamic pressure 22.3kPa, the maximum axial overload 5.0g; 700km SSO orbit with 1080kg carrying capacity to meet the domestic demand.

CZ-7

According to Mr. Liang Xiaohong, the party chief of CASC, China has now started a project developed by the load of 10 tons to 20 tons of medium-sized launch vehicle Long March-7 (CZ-7).

CZ-9

CZ-9 is a giant rocket design of CSAC. According to a interview held in June, 2012, Liang Xiaohong says the CZ-9 giant rocket has 8m diameter core-level, 3.35m diameter of the booster, 8 engines and 3000 tons take-off weight. It is estimated that CZ-9 has two semi-constitutive low-Earth orbit carrying capacity of more than 100 t, and the three semi-configuration of the Earth-Moon transfer orbit over 50 tons.

New Long-March (CZ) Rocket Family

Detailed information about CZ-11 and CZ-5B are still unavailible. Some Chinese analysers believe design number CZ-8 and CZ-10 will be pointed to China’s future reusable launch system, such as space shuttle or space plane.