China launched the Changzheng-5B (Long March 5) rocket with a prototype manned spacecraft

Last updated on May 1st, 2023 at 07:48 pm

 China on Tuesday successfully launched a test version of a new type of manned spacecraft using the Long March-5B carrier rocket (Great Voyage-5V, Changzheng- 5-Bi) from the cosmodrome ” Wenchang ” (province of Hainan in southern China). This was reported by TASS  with reference to data from China’s Space Manned Flight Program.

“According to the Office of the Chinese manned space flight program, on May 5, 2020, at 18:00 (13:00 Moscow time) from the Wenchang cosmodrome in China, the Changzheng-5B launch vehicle was launched with a test version of a new type of manned spacecraft and a prototype cargo return capsule, “the report said.

“After about 488 seconds, the [unmanned] prototype of the manned spacecraft, together with the test version of the return capsule, successfully disconnected from the rocket, entered a predetermined orbit. The mission was recognized successful,” the statement said.

Long March 5

Launch of the Long March-5B launch vehicle from the Wenchang Cosmodrome 05/05/2020

It is also noted that “the successful launch of the rocket laid a solid foundation for the creation of the Chinese orbital space station,” which is scheduled to be completed in 2022. It is expected that Changzheng-5B will be used to bring the base module of the station into low Earth orbit.

The Changzheng-5B launch vehicle is an improved version of the Changzheng-5, the first Chinese heavy-class space rocket (maximum payload is 25 tons). Changzheng-5B has four launch accelerators with a diameter of 3.35 m each. Non-toxic fuel based on liquid hydrogen, kerosene and liquid oxygen is used as fuel. Its length reaches 53.7 m and a diameter of about 5 m. The launch mass of the rocket is 849 tons, and the carrying capacity, when launched into low Earth orbit, is 22 tons.

On February 5, Changzheng-5B was successfully delivered to the Wenchang cosmodrome, where it was preparing for its first launch. The creation of the main infrastructure of the Wenchang cosmodrome was completed in 2014, the proximity of this facility to the equator facilitates the launch of heavy launch vehicles. According to the Chinese space program, it will be used to launch the modules of the PRC space station and in moon exploration missions. In July 2018, Hainan Governor Shen Xiaoming announced that the region’s authorities were ready to create a specialized Russian-Chinese centre in the province.