China to test large solid-fuel rocket engine

Carrier to be used in new Kuaizhou series to send payloads into low orbit

China will begin testing the world's largest solid-propellant rocket engine in February, according to a senior space scientist interviewed on Sunday.

Liang Jiqiu, chief designer of Kuaizhou rockets at China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the nation's largest missile-maker, described the engine as having a diameter of over 4 meters and a liftoff thrust of more than 1,000 metric tons.