China starts developing Long March 6 rockets for space mission

China has started developing the Long March 6 carrier rockets for its space programs, the China National Space Administration announced on its official website.

The Long March 6 rockets will be non-toxic and pollution-free while featuring a number of new technologies used for the first time in China, according to the administration.

The Long March 6 rockets are expected to be ready for blast off in 2013, it said.



The rockets will be designed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, developer of the Shenzhou VII spacecraft, from which Chinese aeronauts carried out the country’s first space walk in 2008.