By Yuling Chen, iChongqing News

Chongqing-China's OneSpace Technology, the country's first private rocket producer, will launch its first OS-M rocket (“OS-M series” for short)  at the end of March 2019. This mission is going to be carried out at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Moreover, the carrier rocket is called “Chongqing Liangjiang Star” after the Liangjiang New Area in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

OneSpace's OS-M named Chongqing Liangjiang Star has completed preparations for its first orbital launch. (Photo from OneSpace)

OneSpace's M series

According to the company's official website, OS-M series, 19-meter long and 20 tons, has two orbital types--low Earth orbit (LEO) and sun-synchronous 0rbit (SSO) with the height ranging from 200 km to 1000 km. It is capable of delivering payloads, a 205 kg payload to 300 km LEO and 73 kg to 800 km SSO into space, for example. Moreover, it consists of three solid propellant stages and a liquid propellant fourth stage.

Its success is significant 

The maiden launch of the company's OS-X0 solid-fuel rocket has been a success in a test field in northwestern China. Different from that, OS-M series is for orbital launch. Moreover, a successful launch of Chongqing Liangjiang Star, the self-developed first type of OS-M family, this march would mean a lot for the fast-growing commercial space sector in China.

If so, OS-M series is arguably able to provide cost-effective launch services to nano and small satellite customer worldwide with high quality. 

OneSpace revealed that it had completed a vertical assembly rehearsal, system test and all preparations and tests before the launch. “We carried out single and comprehensive tests on compartment docking engines, rocket docking, and fairing closing. Additionally, we also completed those tests on systems of control and measurement, power, and rocket structure, and land-based system. All results meet the design requirements.” A source from OneSpace said.

Chongqing Elements

It is self-proving that the rocket has Chongqing elements because of its name.

Besides carrying small satellites onto the orbit, this OS-M launch will probably bring some Chongqing-related surprises to the public.