Current Affairs China successfully launches its most powerful rocket-Long March 5B

China successfully launches its most powerful rocket-Long March 5B

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Chinahas launched a new rocket- Long March 5B along with a prototype deep-space spacecraft.
This will pave the way for the country’s ambitions to operate a permanent space station and sending astronauts to Moon.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MISSION

A Long March 5B rocket took off from the Wenchang launch site on the southern island of Hainan.
Aboard the Long March 5 was a special prototype spacecraft that is somewhat akin to the deep-space Orion capsule NASA has been developing to send people to the Moon and beyond.
Eight minutes after the launch, the unmanned prototype spacecraft separated successfully and entered its planned orbit.

ABOUT LONG MARCH 5B

The Long March 5b rocket is a massive vehicle with four strap-on boosters that provide extra thrust at liftoff.
It weighs 849 tonnes and is 54-metre in length and is able to send over 22 tonnes of payloads.
The rocket uses environment-friendly propellants, including liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene.
It can send over 22 tonnes of payload to low-Earth orbit, which is currently the largest low-Earth orbit carrying capacity among China’s rockets.

ABOUT TIAGONG – CHINA’S SPACE STATION PROGRAM

Tiagong means Heavenly Palace and it will have three modules with living and working quarters and two annexes for scientific experiments.
China had launched its own space laboratory Tiagong 1 in the year 2011 and Tiagong 2 in the year 2016 .

MOON EXPLORATION

The United States is so far the only country to have sent humans to the Moon.
However, China has also not only successfully sent satellites into orbit and astronauts into space but also landed a rover to the far side of the Moon last year.

ABOUT CHINA NATIONAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION

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