China has made a breakthrough in developing its next generation of space-launch vehicle Long March V, which is scheduled for operation by 2014, said sources with the nation's launch vehicle academy.

Significant progress has been made on the rocket engine and the building of a production plant.

The rocket's 120-ton liquid oxygen-kerosene engine had passed initial tests and would be put into field tests by the year end, said Liang Xiaohong, vice president of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

Li Hong, president of the launch vehicle academy, said the Long March V would meet the requirement of large-payload low Earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous transfer orbit (GEO) missions for the next two to three decades.

With four boosters, the 59.5-meter-high environmentally friendly rocket's launching weight would reach 643 tons. It would be able to deliver a 25-ton payload to an LEO, compared with the present 10...

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