This year's 40 space launches will set record

China will carry out at least 40 space missions this year, doubling the number in 2017 and setting a record for the nation, China Daily has learned.

The most eye-catching of the missions will be the third flight of China's largest carrier rocket - Long March 5, whose last mission failed in July - and the Chang'e 4 lunar landing mission that will put a robotic probe on the far side of the moon.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the primary contractor for the nation's space programs, said in a statement published on Wednesday that its Long March-series rockets will take part in 35 missions in 2018. It said 2018 will be the busiest and most important year for the space industry giant since its founding in 1999 because it is determined to use the year's missions to "reverse the unfavorable situations" caused by recent failures.