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Chinese aerospace boss hails record month in space launches

Posted on: Monday, 17 November 2003, 06:00 CST

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Beijing, 17 November: China's record space launches from 15 October to 15 November indicate China's improved capability in technological development and manufacturing in the space field and space project management, a senior space expert said Monday [17 November].

Zhang Qingwei, general manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., the manufacturer of the country's Long March carrier rockets and spacecraft, said his corporation had successfully launched the Shenzhou V manned spacecraft and four satellites in the period.

Zhang said the launches represented a record high in a month both in the number of launches and the rate of successful launches.

China's first manned spacecraft was rocketed into space on 15 October and returned to the Earth safely the next day.

China's Long March IV B carried the second Earth resources satellite developed jointly by China and Brazil and another China- made small satellite into different preset orbits on 21 October from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province, north China.

China launched a recoverable science experimental satellite into a preset orbit atop a Long March 2 D carrier rocket on 3 November from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gansu Province, northwest China.

On 15 November, China launched a communication satellite into a preset orbit atop a Long March 3 A carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan Province, southwest China.

The 15 November launch represents China's 32nd consecutive success in space launch using the Long March rocket series since October 1996.

With 103,000 employees, the aerospace corporation is also the country's major satellite manufacturer.

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