Zhoushan-based Tengyu Aerospace New Materials Co Ltd. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Long March 6A carrier rocket made its successful maiden flight after it was launched at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province on March 30.

Zhoushan-based Tengyu Aerospace New Materials Co Ltd is the supplier of the carrier rocket's 100,000-ton protective coating that can withstand temperatures as high as 3,000 Celsius degrees.

According to Li Huixiao, general manager of Tengyu, the cost per metric ton of the protective coating is 70 percent lower than similar products, resulting in nearly 30 million yuan ($4.73 million) in savings.

Li's team took six years to produce the protective suit for the Long March 6A.

In 2016, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology cooperated with Shanghai Jiaotong University to develop the thermal insulation coating for carrier rocket.

"Presently, Tengyu is capable of producing 600,000 tons of light thermal vibration protection coating per year, which can satisfy the demands of all high-thrust carrier rockets in China," said Li.

She noted that her team will delve into research of reusable protective coatings for spacecraft.

To date, Zhoushan has 18 new material companies with combined annual sales revenue of 136.4 billion yuan. These companies create products for a host of sectors, including petrochemical, healthcare and aerospace.