China launches new workhorse 'Long March' rocket with 20 'micro satellites' aboard
Latest Long March model will make China more competitive in commercial launches, official says
China on Sunday launched a new, smaller type of rocket from its "Long March" family which will be primarily used for carrying satellites aloft, state media reported, as the country races ahead with an ambitious space programme.
The Long March 6, a newly developed carrier rocket which uses liquid propellant, took off from a launch base in Shanxi province carrying 20 "micro" satellites, Xinhua said.
The white rocket, imprinted with the Chinese flag at the top, climbed into bluish-grey skies, footage aired by CCTV showed.
One official suggested the smaller rocket would make China more competitive in the lucrative market for commercial satellite launches.
"We believe it will greatly boost the competitiveness of Chinese carrier rockets in the international market," Zhang Weidong, chief designer at the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, told Xinhua. "The new model will also significantly improve our ability to access space."
China is launching its own satellites as it continues to build a home-grown navigation system, but also carries out launches for other countries and commercial companies.