Long March 5 rocket family

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Designed and developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), Long March 5 (LM-5, CZ-5, or Changzheng 5) is China's next generation space launch vehicle family, which would include a range of classes of launch vehicles for different missions.

[edit] Development

Early reports stated that the CZ-5 project was announced in February 2001, with the initial development officially beginning in 2002. China hoped that the CZ-5 would fulfill the requirement for large payload LEO and GEO missions for the next 20–30 years, with the first versions of the vehicle going into service by 2008. Chief Designer for the CZ-5 was Long Lehao.

However, a new report on November 3, 2005, said that according to Wu Yansheng at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the CZ-5 was still awaiting final approval and would take about six years for development, being ready in 2012. [1] A further report on November 27, 2005, quoted the deputy commander of the manned space program saying that CZ-5 was still waiting for funding approval.

[edit] Design

According to reports, the CZ-5 family will include three primary modular core stages of 2.25 m, 3.35 m and 5.0 m diameter. Boosters of various capabilities would be assembled from three modular core stages and strap-on stages. There would be a choice of engines with different liquid rocket propellants: 1,200 kN thrust LOX/kerosene engines or 500 kN thrust LOX/LH2 engines.

The CZ-5 series will deliver 1.5 t to 25 t payload to LEO, or 1.5 t to 14 t payload to GEO. This would replace the CZ-2, CZ-3, and CZ-4 series in service, as well as providing new capabilities which are not possessed by the current CZ family. The heaviest configuration of the CZ-5 with a 5.0 m diameter core stage and four 3.35 m diameter strap-on boosters should be able to send a 25 t payload to low earth orbit.

Comparable rockets: Delta IV - Atlas V - Ariane 5 - Angara - Proton - Falcon 9

	Long March rocket family
Long March 1 rocket family: Long March 1 - Long March 1D Long March 2 rocket family: Long March 2 - Long March 2C - Long March 2D - Long March 2E - Long March 2F Long March 3 rocket family: Long March 3 - Long March 3A - Long March 3B - Long March 3C Long March 4 rocket family: Fengbao 1 - Long March 4 - Long March 4A - Long March 4B Long March 5 rocket family: CZ-NGLV-Light - CZ-NGLV-Medium - CZ-NGLV-A - CZ-NGLV-B - CZ-NGLV-C - CZ-NGLV-D - CZ-NGLV-E - CZ-NGLV-F