APD | China launches own largest carrier rocket Long March-5 into orbit

**BEIJING, Dec. 28 (APD) ** -- China successfully launched the third Long March-5, the country's most powerful rocket, on Friday, a step forward for its future space projects including the planned mission to Mars.

The rocket coded as Long March-5 Y3, carrying a Shijian 20 test satellite payload, blasted off from coastal Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province.

China's official media said it "verifies the key technologies related to subsequent space mission."

The success of the flight lays the foundation for a series of future space projects for the country including exploring Mars, returning moon samples and constructing its own space station, said Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration.

"Fat Five," the rocket's nickname, was a trending topic on China's Weibo social media platform.

The Long March-5 made its first flight in 2016 from Wenchang. However, the second large rocket, Long March-5 Y2, suffered a failure in 2017, as a malfunction happened.

According to Yang Hujun, deputy chief designer of the rocket, the new rocket has more than 200 technological improvements compared with the Long March-5 Y2.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)