Zhang Qingwei, deputy commander of manned space flight program, general manager of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., talked cheerfully about reliability, safety and ratio of success of China's manned carrier rocket when he met the reporter.

　　Zhang pointed out that, as far as manned rocket technology is concerned, Long-March 2F Rocket has precisely sent Shenzhou spacecrafts into the space for 5 times. The reliability of Long-March 2F Rocket has reached 97%, which has enabled the safety of astronauts up to 99.7% and rate of success 100%. Thus the reliability, safety and ratio of success of Long-March 2F Rocket has been on a par with world's advanced level. All the products related to carrier rocket, from design, quality, functions to the flight result, have reached anticipated objectives. The fine quality of Long-March 2F Rocket shows that the China's space flight carrier vehicle has entered maturing period. This time it is the 71st flight of Long-March Rocket, and the 29th consecutive launching success of the Long March rocket series since October 1996.

　　Long-March 2F is the first carrier rocket used for manned spacecraft in China's space flight, it is also the longest, heaviest and most complex rocket. The rocket is 58.3 meters long, with a launching mass of 479.8 tons and a load capacity of 7.8 tons and an escape capsule on the top. The rocket can send the spacecraft into the low earth orbit at 200 km to 450 km from the earth.

　　Long-March Rocket 2F has adopted 55 new technologies for the first time, including the key technologies of rocket trouble inspection system and escape system, which are rated as "world-class thorny problems". With the availability of several hundred data on trouble modules and escape judgment, automatic inspection and automatic trouble diagnosis of the carrier rocket have been realized during the ready-to-launch stage and rocket ascending stage, which in turn can send trouble occurrence information to escape system so as to realize automatic escape of the astronaut and ground commanded escape.

　　In order to increase the reliability and safety of the rocket, the main systems and key sections of Long-March Rocket 2F have adopted redundant technology. Therefore in case the main system has troubles, the backup system will be switched on immediately to secure the normal operation of the rocket.

　　Long-March Rocket 2F has realized "three uprights" in China's space history: spacecraft and rocket have realized general assembly test in upright position, realized transportation in upright position by self-generated power on the rail and realized long-distance launching. All these technologies are on a par with world's advanced level.

　　(October 22, PLA Daily)