Beijing News reported that at 5:30 p.m. on February 11 (local time), the Long March 8A rocket took off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on Hainan Island (China), successfully delivering the internet network to two low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites into predetermined orbits.

The successful launch of the rocket marks the beginning of the next high-frequency launches of the Truong Chinh 8 project. In 2025, the Truong Chinh 8 project is expected to carry out 10 launch missions, of which Truong Chinh 8A will undertake 5-6 missions.

According to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the Long March 8A will be China's next-generation carrier rocket. Currently, the Long March 8A is the 18th operational member of the rocket family (Long March 8) and is a key product in China's space programs.

Compared with the rockets in the Long March 8 project, the engine performance of the new rocket is improved with a large payload capacity and relatively strong thrust. In addition, the top structure of Long March 8A is also optimized by integrating the functions of satellite rack, adapter frame and equipment compartment. In this way, the weight of the rocket is reduced to 200kg.

The Long March 8A rocket is 50.5 meters tall, has a takeoff weight of 371 tons and a takeoff thrust of about 480 tons with a payload of 7 tons to a 700 km Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO). According to Mr. Tong Chinh Vu - chief engineer of the Long March 8 project, the 8A rocket can meet the launch needs for future major orbital missions.

Not only is he a senior rocket scientist at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) and the chief engineer of the Long March 8 rocket project, Song Zhengwu is also known as the designer of the Long March 2F rocket. Previously, in September 2008, the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft was launched into space by a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu (China).

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Mr. Tong Chinh Vu - chief engineer of the Long March 8 rocket project. Photo: Baidu

Scientist Tong Zhengwu was born in 1970 in Jiangsu (China). In 1988, he was directly admitted to the comprehensive class of the Zhukezhen Institute of Zhejiang University (China). In 1992, after graduating from university, he studied for a master's degree in Aerospace Automatic Control at the China Rocket Propulsion Technology Research Institute.

In 2004, he was appointed deputy chief engineer of the Long March 2F rocket project. From 2014 to 2018, he studied for a doctorate at Zhejiang University. In 2016, he was elected an academician of the International Academy of Astronautics.

Since 2017, he has been the chief engineer of the Long March 8 rocket project at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). As one of China's top rocket scientists, Song Zhengwu has received the National Science and Technology Progress Award three times.

The Long March 8A rocket was launched on February 11. Video : Bilibili

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