China's new carrier rocket Long March-7 cleaner, stronger

The Long March-7, a medium-sized rocket using liquid propellant, has been moved vertically to the launch pad after a three-hour transport from the test lab in Wenchang, South China's Hainan province, on June 22, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

WENCHANG - China's new generation carrier rocket the Long March-7 will leave no pollution as burning of its propellants produces only carbon dioxides and water, according to a project insider.

Hu Xiaojun, deputy chief designer assistant, said on Thursday the new rocket relies on liquid oxygen and kerosene as fuel, cheaper and less dangerous than the propellants used by some of the earlier rockets.

Designed for transporting cargo ships, the carrying capacity of the medium-sized rocket is 1.5 times that of previous, bigger rockets. It is due for launch between June 25 and 29 from Wenchang, a new launch location in south China's Hainan Province.

The rocket will stay on the launch pad until at least Saturday, the beginning of its five-day launch window.

Launches from the new site, which is much closer to the equator than the other three, can take advantage of the Earth's higher rotational speed to save fuel.