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Monday, April 16, 2018, 23:24
China to launch Long March-5 Y3 rocket in late 2018
By Xinhua
Monday, April 16, 2018, 23:24 By Xinhua

This June 26, 2017 shows Long March-5 Y2 carrier rocket at Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan province. China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said on April 16, 2018 that the country plans to launch its heavy-lift carrier rocket Long March-5 Y3 later this year. (ZHANG WENJUN / XINHUA)

BEIJING – China plans to launch its heavy-lift carrier rocket Long March-5 Y3 later this year, after finding the cause of the failure of the Long March-5 Y2, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. 

A malfunction happened less than six minutes after the Long March-5 Y2 rocket was launched from Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern province of Hainan on July 2, 2017. 

READ MORE: China's largest spacecraft launched by mighty Long March 7 rocket

Analysis based on computer simulations and ground tests showed that a problem occurred in a turbine exhaust device in the engine of the first stage of the rocket, the administration said Monday. 

The engine has now been improved and has passed many ground tests, the administration said. 

If the Long March-5 Y3 rocket launch is successfully, the Long March-5 Y4 rocket will be used to launch the Chang'e-5 lunar probe, which is expected to bring lunar samples back to Earth.  


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