Heavy-lift rocket sets off to Hainan for debut

China's heavy-lift Long March 5 carrier rocket started its sea journey on Friday to the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the island province of Hainan to prepare for its debut flight, according to the nation's space authority.

The rocket, the nation's strongest and most technologically advanced launch vehicle, left Tianjin's port in the morning and was being transported by the Yuanwang 21 and Yuanwang 22 space ferry ships, the China National Space Administration said.

The Long March 5 is scheduled to make its first flight around the end of the year and will enable China to put its future manned space station into orbit and send unmanned probes to Mars, the agency said in a news release.