Beijing: The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation recently announced its record-breaking decision to launch 30 space missions in 2017.
Long March-5 and Long March-7 rockets would be used to carry out most of the space missions, the China News Service reported.
The successful test launch of China's largest carrier rocket, Long March-5, in November in Hainan, would provide the base for space station construction.
Wang Yu, general director of the Long March-5 program, said 2017 is a critical year for China's new generation of carrier rockets and the Long March-5 rockets would carry Chang'e-5 probe to space.
The probe would land on the moon, collect samples and return to Earth.
On the other hand, Long March-7, the more powerful version of Long March-2, would send China's first cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-1 into the space in the first half of 2017, according to Wang Zhaoyao, director of China Manned Space Engineering Office.
Tianzhou-1 was expected to dock with Tiangong-2 space lab and conduct experiments on propellant supplement, People's Daily reported.
China conducted 22 launch missions in 2016 and 19 in 2015. The country successfully tested its Long March-7 rocket in June 2016, and has gradually shifted to new generation rockets that reduce the use of toxic rocket fuels.
(With IANS inputs)
