Oct 26 1985
From The Space Library
Peoples Republic of China astronautics minister Li Xue said China would put their Long March 2 and 3 rockets on the international market to provide satellite launching services for local and foreign clients, FBIS Beijing XINHUA Hong Kong Service in Chinese reported. The decision resulted from the October 21 launch by a Long March 2 rocket of an earth surveying satellite and an April 8, 1984 launch by a Long March 3 rocket of China's first experimental telecommunications satellite.
Li Xue said the recent Long March 2 launch was its seventh consecutive success, indicating the two-stage liquid-propellant rocket could reliably put a satellite of about two tons into a near-earth orbit from the Jiuquan launching center, in addition the Long March 3 launch from the Xichang launching center of a satellite into geosynchronous orbit showed China had mastered the technology for placing a satellite in that orbit.
He added that in addition to launch services from the two centers, China could provide satellite orbital control and support from the Xian control center, which had an ocean-based survey vessel component. And he pointed out that China could provide preferential prices for foreign customers, would train technicians, and had the capability, through the Chinese People's Insurance Co., to underwrite satellites that were launched.
In conclusion, he said that, after the Long March 2 and 3 rockets were on the international market, they would promote international technical and economic cooperation in the astronautics field and contribute to the maintenance of world peace. (FBIS, XINHUA Kong Hong Service in Chinese, Oct 26/85)
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