Carrier rocket base phase one complete

Tianjin (CNS) -- The first phase in the construction of the production base for China's new generation carrier rocket "Long March-5" has been completed in north China's Tianjin Municipality, according to the city's Economic and Informatization Technology Commission.

The Long March-5 is economical, high-functioning, environmentally friendly and mere five meters in diameter. The first rocket in its class, it is expected to launch by the end of 2014.

The Tianjin base is will provide technological support for China's space missions over the next 30 to 50 years. Besides the Long March-5, other large spacecraft projects such as a space station and deep space probe.

The second and last phase of the project will start within three months. The completed base will altogether cover an area of 3,000 mu (equivalent to 199.98 hectares), and serve three main production lines – core rocket parts, space technology applications, and supplementary facilities.