China successfully launched the first 'hybrid rocket'

Long March-6A rocket using a combination of liquid and solid fuel made its first successful flight on March 29.

According to the Global Times, the launch took place at 5:50 pm local time yesterday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province, northwest China, putting two satellites into a predetermined orbit. The flight marked the 412th mission of the Long March family of space rockets.

The Long March-6A was developed by the Shanghai Institute of Space Technology (SAST), a unit of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

When launched, the rocket weighs 530 tons and brings a payload weighing no less than 4 tons to the Sun synchronous orbit. The Long March-6A is a modified version of the Long March-6 missile. It is 50 m high and 3.35 m wide, with a design of three core thrusters combined with four auxiliary thrusters attached to the lower fuselage.

Long March-6A rocket on launch pad before take off.

CASC emphasizes that this is China's first "hybrid rocket" model. While the core propulsion stages use liquid fuel (oxygen/kerosene) for strong and stable thrust, the 4 2 m long auxiliary engines use solid fuel, with a simple and flexible structure, for the ability to high mobility and instantaneous thrust.

The combination of liquid and solid propellant makes rockets more powerful and faster, as well as more stable and cost-effective, thus meeting the needs of launching a variety of satellites. The launch of the Long March-6A rocket will mark an important milestone in China's space program, boosting its launch capabilities, technology development and potential for commercial space exploration.

Two satellites were put into orbit in Tuesday's launch: Pujiang-2, for scientific testing missions and land resource survey, and Tiankun-2, for experiments in development technology. show space environment.