Long March 7 rocket

State-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC) said it is developing sea launch systems for commercial payloads to be carried by Long March rockets in 2018.

The group disclosed its plan for the sea launches. A launch platform will be built based on refitted 10,000-tonne freighters, allowing Long March rockets to send satellites weighing as much as 500 kilograms into orbit with an inclination of zero to ten degrees.

Long March carrier rockets have provided 60 commercial launches for domestic and international users and enjoy high reputation in global space launch market.

The Long March 6 and 11 carrier rockets are the main commercial launch vehicles in China. The Long March 11, a solid fuel rocket featuring fast speed and high flexibility, has secured commercial launch orders with a total value of over one billion yuan.

Countries in the equator region have growing needs for launching near-equatorial and low-inclination satellites. The closer to the equator a satellite is launched, the less it will lose carrying capacity and the lower the cost will be.