As one of the key projects of China’s “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” (2006-2010), the industrialization base of the new-generation launch vehicle is supposed to be a high-tech-oriented hub, centering on the new-generation carrier rocket research and production and combining military and civil usages. For the time being, nine workshops of the first-phrase project of the new-generation carrier rocket have all kicked off construction. The construction of the storage tank welding assembly workshop, which was the earliest to start, has been wrapped up, with trial operation beginning in July of 2009.

As one of the 2008 key industrial projects in Tianjin, the new-generation launch vehicle industrialization base is located in the west part of TEDA.

The project has been undergoing smoothly since its launch on October 30, 2007. The scale of its first-phase construction is about 200,000 square meters, meeting various requirements of test manufacturing, general assembly and test launch of the new-generation launch vehicle. The second phase will cover an area of about 300,000 square meters, which will be put under construction in accordance with the demand of national aviation industry.

On December 18 of 2007, Tianjin Municipal Government hammered out a framework agreement for “establishing an overall strategic cooperation” with State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, enabling China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) to carry out a series of civil projects in the Binhai New Area.

Experts pointed out that the new-generation launch vehicle industrialization base is one important measure for TEDA to implement the framework agreement of “establishing an overall strategic cooperation” signed between Tianjin Municipal Government and State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. It will also help further enhance industrial structuring and modern manufacturing capability of TEDA.

The completion of the project will accelerate the development of the Binhai New Area, promoting the growth of high-tech industry and boosting industrial upgrading of Tianjin. Meanwhile, it carries strategic significance, pushing forward China’s aviation technology industrialization and facilitating the country’s participation in international cooperation and long-term aviation undertakings.

Compared with ordinary rockets, the new-generation launch vehicle has made improvement in the following three aspects. Firstly, it encourages the use of environment-friendly engine technology so as to be non-toxic and pollution free; Secondly, The modularized design can meet different launching requests for effective loads of different weights and offer more options and thus increase flexibility. Thirdly, it will significantly increase the rate of successful launching.

The new-generation launch vehicle industrialization base is listed as one of the national key projects. Expected to lay the foundation for new-generation launch vehicle research, it will also be built into an important hub for bunch production, industrialization of military aviation technology as well as civil ones. To some extent, the project represents the highest level of aviation equipment manufacturing in China.

It is said that an exhibition corridor will be set up for visitors to tour the base. With necessary precaution measurements taken, visitors can see live the assembling process of the “huge rocket” of China. To visit big rocket in the Binhai New Area will become a selling point of tourism industry of Tianjin.