Key test of Long March-7 planned

Chinese engineers are nearing completion of the Long March-7 rocket and will soon test its compatibility with the launch site, the designers said.

"We will perform the compatibility test for the Long March-7 and the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan within a short time, and the rocket to be used in the test has been produced," said Tao Gang, general manager of the Tianjin Long March Launch Vehicle Manufacturing Co Ltd.

"The Long March-2 and Long March-3 families, the backbones of our launches, are scheduled to retire within the next 10 years, so the Long March-7 and Long March-5 will become the pillars of China's space program," he added.