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BEIJING, Apr 2 China's Space Pioneer successfully launched its Tianlong 2 liquid-propellant rocket into space on Sunday, the first commercial launch of its type in China, Chinese newspaper Science and Technology Daily reported.
The launch took place at 16.48 local time (11.48 Moscow time) from the Jiuquan Cosmodrome in Gansu Province in northwest China. The launch vehicle successfully launched the Ai Taikun Kexue satellite into orbit.
According to the publication, Tianlong-2 is a three-stage medium-class liquid-propellant launch vehicle that Space Pioneer has been developing for three years. Rocket diameter — 3.35 meters, length — 32.8 meters, takeoff weight — 153 tons, take-off thrust — 193 tons, payload in sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers — 1.5 tons.
Tianlong-2 is reported to be China's first commercially produced liquid propellant launch vehicle launched into space.
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