China's latest Long March-8A carrier rocket successfully completed its launch site rehearsal on Wednesday at the Hainan commercial space launch site, marking a key step forward towards its maiden flight, which is scheduled for the end of this year.

Developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the rocket is a modified version of the Long March-8, featuring increased payload capacity and enhanced mission adaptability.

Equipped with a rocket fairing measuring 5.2 meters in diameter, it can send payloads weighing seven tonnes to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), providing crucial support for large-scale satellite constellation deployment.

The comprehensive rehearsal began in mid-August, with the fuel-filling and test completed on September 3. On September 4, the rocket was removed from the launch tower and transferred to the final assembly and testing workshop, signifying the successful conclusion of the rehearsal.

In the rehearsal, a new rocket transportation mode was adopted, which includes moving the three segmented modules of the rocket vertically from the final assembly and testing workshop to the launch area. Following this, the modules are hoisted and assembled at the launch site.

CALT said the rehearsal validated the coordination and compatibility between the Long March-8A rocket and the launch site, achieving all intended goals and laying a solid foundation for the upcoming flight.