Beijing, Apr 27 (IANS): A Chinese space engineering company is building an advanced type of space cargo transport aircraft that will take its maiden flight in 2019.

The new aircraft is being developed using technology such as space inflatable deployment, flexible heat shielding and composite materials.

These will enable it to have a high bearing ratio at a low cost, Xinhua quoted China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp's Lyu Dongming as saying.

New types of composite cabins, environmental control and life support technology would be applied to the products for missions such as return transport of space cargo and delivery and recovery of goods.

In the mid- and long-term, the aircraft will be actively involved in manned lunar exploration, Lyu said.

The Space Engineering Development Company which was established on Thursday, has a complete research and development capacity for the designing satellites.

Its main focus will be on minisatellites and other commercial space programmes, the report said.