INTERNATIONAL telecommunications satellite group Intelsat is almost certain to use China's Long March rocket to send up Intelsat 805, according to chief financial officer David Tudge.
A final decision will be made this month by the board of Intelsat, the 131-country satellite provider.
''We will recommend Long March,'' said Mr Tudge.
The organisation has 13 satellite launches scheduled before 1997, most on European space agency Ariane rockets.
Eight Intelsat series VII and VIII satellites will be put into orbit using Ariane rockets. Two will go on Long March and three will be launched on US Atlas rockets.
The Chinese have only two despite price advantages over US or European launches - the other being an Intelsat VII-A satellite to be carried by a Long March 3B rocket from Sichuan in October next year.