China’s Long March 5B 長征五號B carrier rocket, carrying a new generation of manned spacecraft test vessel and a flexible inflatable cargo return module test capsule, ignited at 6:00 p.m. today 5-5-20 at Wenchang 文昌Space Launch Complex, and after about 488 seconds, the carrier and rocket were successfully separated and entered the scheduled orbit. It was reported that the flight as the first mission for the space station was successful, which kicked off the “third step” of China’s manned space program. The Long March 5B carrier rocket is based on the Long March 5, and is mainly responsible for major launch missions such as the China Space Station module.
The Long March 5B carrier rocket is about 53.7 meters long, with a core diameter of 5 meters, four 3.35-meter diameter boosters bundled, a fairing length of 20.5 meters and a diameter of 5.2 meters, fueled with non-toxic and non-polluting liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene as propellants, a take-off mass of about 849 tons, and a NEO carrying capacity of more than 22 tons, making it the largest NEO carrier rocket in China.


China Manned Space Office said they have identified the reason of two recent launch failure which happened on March 16th and April 9th in 2020. Over the past month, model team and aerospace experts have carried out in-depth problem review, cause analysis, and test verification. The location and mechanism of the malfunction of the two failed missions have been determined.
At the same time, a comprehensive quality rectification and review across the entire spaceflight is organized. Appropriate adjustments have been made to the rocket launch plan initially scheduled to be implemented soon.
Unknown malfunction during cargo return capsule re-entry: CMSA https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1187536.shtml
https://t.co/Rr4AzIa8D8?amp=1 Trial version of China’s new-generation spaceship safely returns to Earth