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 Chang Zheng (Long March)
CZ-2F at Ji Quan LC 43/921 Mobile Launcher Complex with Shenzhou Spacecraft During the 1960s, China developed a series of Dong Feng (DF, or “East Wind”) ballistic missiles capable of carrying thermonuclear warheads. Two of these missiles, the intermediate range DF-3 and the intercontinental range DF-5, were subsequently adopted for use as space launchers. A small solid fuel third stage was
added to the 2.25 meter diameter DF-3 missile to create Chang Zheng 1 (CZ-1, or Long March
1), China’s first space launcher. On April 24, 1970, CZ-1 boosted China’s first
satellite, Dong Fang Hong (DFH-1, "The East is Red"), into low earth orbit from
Jiuquan Space Center, on the western edge of Inner Mongolia's Alashan Desert. After a
second launch in 1971, CZ-1 was supplanted by more powerful DF-5 based vehicles
DF-5, first test flown in 1971, used two 3.35 meter diameter stages that carried the storable propellants UDHM and nitrogen tetroxide. Its first stage was powered by the 284 metric ton thrust (sea-level) YF-21, which was an assembly of four 71 ton thrust YF-20 engines. Its second stage was powered by a YF-24 engine consisting of a 73 ton-thrust YF-22 and a 4.7 ton-thrust YF-23 vernier. The first space launchers derived from DF-5 were the nearly-identical Feng Bao (FB-1, or Tempest), manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Space Technology (SAST), and CZ-2 developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) in Beijing. CZ-2 (CZ-2C with a stretched second stage) launched 1.8 ton FSW recoverable film spy satellites, which landed by parachute in the Alashan, while FB-1 orbited 1 ton nonrecoverable TV imaging satellites. Both two-stage rockets flew from Jiquan into low earth orbit (LEO) beginning in 1973-74. FB-1 was discontinued after 1981. Shortly thereafter, SAST began
to manufacture for CALT the first two stages of CZ-3, a new DF-5 based launcher with a
liquid hydrogen fueled third stage. CZ-3 first flew from China’s new Xichang Space
Center in south-central Szechwan Province in 1984, making China the third country/region
to fly a hydrogen stage after the United States and Europe. The rocket could boost 1.4 ton
payloads into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
CZ-4 inaugurated a third launch site, Taiyuan Space Center in northeast China's Shansi Province, in 1988. Taiyuan was China’s first site for launching spacecraft into polar orbits. CZ-4 was equipped with a hypergolic third stage that allowed it to put almost 1.7 tons into a 600 km sun synchronous orbit. CZ-4, later upgraded with an improved third stage as CZ-4B, heralded the beginning of a new generation of DF-5 based rockets. These were powered by improved YF-21B first stage engines that produced 302 tons of sea level thrust. Some models used four strap-on liquid boosters, each with one YF-20B engine, to double the total liftoff thrust. Upper stage engines were also upgraded. In 2007, CZ-4C, fitted with an upgraded, restartable third stage and a larger payload fairing, first appeared. Two-stage CZ-2D, able to put 3.5 tons into LEO, began to replace CZ-2C. CZ-2E, with four strap-on boosters and a solid-fuel third stage, boosted up to 3.4 tons into GTO from Xichang. CZ-3A, with a more powerful hydrogen-fueled third stage, supplanted CZ-3 and CZ-3B, a CZ-3A with four strap-on boosters, could put 5.1 tons into GTO. In 2008, CZ-3C, a CZ-3A with two strap-on boosters, debuted. During the 1990s, China's Long March rockets garnered international commercial launch business, but a series of costly launch failures, an insurance filing that claimed one rocket had provided a damaging rough ride to orbit, a technology transfer scandal involving a U.S. satellite manufacturer, and a collapsing commercial market all conspired to chase away many Western customers. The most infamous launch failure occurred on February 14, 1996 when a CZ-3B carrying Intelsat 708 veered out of control to near-horizontal flight immediately after clearing its Xichang launch tower. The rocket smashed into a populated area, killing at least six and wounding dozens. In 1999, the first CZ-2F, a modified CZ-2E,
launched 8.4 ton Shenzhou 1 into LEO from a new launch complex at Jiuquan. This first
uncrewed test flight was followed by three additional tests before Shenzhou 5 orbited Yang
Liwei, China's first "astronaut", on October 15, 2003, making China the third
nation to possess indigenous human launch capability.
Annual Summary of DF-5 Based Orbital Vehicles List of DF-5 Based Failure Causes DATE VEHICLE ID PAYLOAD MASS(t) SITE* ORBIT* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08/10/72 FB-1 R&D suborbital JQ 2/138 SUB 09/18/73 FB-1 70103 JSSW 1.1 JQ 2/138 [FTO] 07/14/74 FB-1 70104 JSSW 1.1 JQ 2/138 [FTO] 11/05/74 CZ-2A Y1 FSW-0 1.8 JQ 2/138 [FTO][1] 07/26/75 FB-1 70105? JSSW 1 (CK-1 1) 1.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 11/26/75 CZ-2A Y2 FSW-0 1 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 12/16/75 FB-1 70106 JSSW 2 (CK-1 2) 1.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 08/30/76 FB-1 70107 JSSW 3 (CK-1 3) 1.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 11/10/76 FB-1 70108 JSSW 1.1 JQ 2/138 [FTO] 12/07/76 CZ-2A Y3 FSW-0 2 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 09/14/77 FB-1 suborbital test JQ 2/138 SUB 01/26/78 CZ-2A Y4 FSW-0 3 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 04/16/78 FB-1 suborbital test JQ 2/138 SUB 07/27/79 FB-1 XCZ102 SJ 1/1A/1B 0.663 JQ 2/138 [FTO] 09/19/81 FB-1 XCZ102? SJ 2/2A/2B 0.663 JQ 2/138 LEO 09/09/82 CZ-2C Y1 FSW-0 4 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 08/19/83 CZ-2C Y2 FSW-0 5 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 01/29/84 CZ-3 Y1 DFH-2 1 (STTW T1) XC 1 [EEO][2] 04/08/84 CZ-3 Y2 DFH-2 2 (STTW T2) XC 1 GTO [3] 09/12/84 CZ-2C Y802403 FSW-0 6 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 10/21/85 CZ-2C Y802404 FSW-0 7 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 02/01/86 CZ-3 Y3 DFH-2A 1 (STTW 1) XC 1 GTO 10/06/86 CZ-2C Y802605 FSW-0 8 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 08/05/87 CZ-2C Y802706 FSW-0 9 1.8 JQ 2/138 LEO 09/09/87 CZ-2C Y7 FSW-1 1 2.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 03/07/88 CZ-3 Y4 DFH-2A 2 (STTW 2, ZX 1) XC 1 GTO 08/05/88 CZ-2C Y8 FSW-1 2 2.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 09/06/88 CZ-4 Y1 FY 1A TY 7 LEO/S 12/22/88 CZ-3 Y5 DFH-2A 3 (STTW 3, ZX 2) XC 1 GTO 02/04/90 CZ-3 Y6 DFH-2A 4 (STTW 4, ZX 3) 1.024 XC 1 GTO 04/07/90 CZ-3 Y7 AsiaSat 1 1.442 XC 1 GTO [4] 07/16/90 CZ-2E Y1 Badr 1/Optus Mass Sim 7.4 XC 2 LEO [5] 09/03/90 CZ-4 Y2 FY 1B / QQW 1 / QQW 2 0.889 TY 7 LEO/S 10/05/90 CZ-2C Y902009 FSW-1 3 2.1 JQ 2/138 LEO 12/28/91 CZ-3 Y9 DFH-2A 5 (STTW 5, ZX 4) 1.025 XC 1 [EEO][6] 08/09/92 CZ-2D Y1 FSW-2 1 2.4 JQ 2/138 LEO 08/13/92 CZ-2E Y3 Optus B1/Star-63F 7.65 XC 2 LEO [7] 10/06/92 CZ-2C Y903210 FSW-1 4 / Freja 2.36 JQ 2/138 LEO 12/21/92 CZ-2E Y4 Optus B2/Star-63F 7.65 XC 2 [LEO][8] 10/08/93 CZ-2C Y11 FSW-1 5 2.1 JQ 2/138 02/08/94 CZ-3A Y901201 KF 1 / SJ 4 2.0 XC 2 GTO [9] 07/03/94 CZ-2D Y2 FSW-2 2 2.6 JQ 2/138 LEO 07/21/94 CZ-3 Y8 APStar 1 1.383 XC 1 GTO 08/27/94 CZ-2E Y5 Optus B3/Star-63F 7.65 XC 2 LEO [7] 11/29/94 CZ-3A Y901302 DFH-3 1 (ZX 6) 2.23 XC 2 GTO 01/25/95 CZ-2E Y6 APStar 2/Star 63F 7.65 XC 2 [FTO][10] 11/28/95 CZ-2E/EPKM Y7 AsiaSat 2 3.485 XC 2 GTO 12/28/95 CZ-2E/EPKM Y8 Echostar 1 3.315 XC 2 GTO 02/14/96 CZ-3B Y1 Intelsat 708 4.576 XC 2 [FTO][11] 07/03/96 CZ-3 Y10A APStar 1A 1.4 XC 1 GTO 08/18/96 CZ-3 Y14 ZX 7 1.618 XC 1 [LEO][12] 10/20/96 CZ-2D Y3 FSW-2 3 2.6 JQ 2/138 LEO 05/11/97 CZ-3A Y? DFH-3 2 (ZX 8) 2.23 XC 2 GTO 06/10/97 CZ-3 Y11 FY 2A 1.38 XC 1 GTO 08/19/97 CZ-3B Y2 Agila 2 2.56 XC2 GTO 09/01/97 CZ-2C/SD Y1 Iridium MFS 1/2 1.4 TY 7 LEO [13] 10/18/97 CZ-3B Y3 APStar 2R 3.747 XC 2 GTO 12/08/97 CZ-2C/SD Y2 Iridium SV 42/44 1.4 TY 7 LEO 03/25/98 CZ-2C/SD Y3 Iridium SV 51,61 1.4 TY 7 LEO 05/02/98 CZ 2C/SD Y4 Iridium SV 69,71 1.4 TY 7 LEO 05/30/98 CZ-3B Y5 Zhongwei 1 2.984 XC 2 GTO 07/18/98 CZ-3B Y4 Sinosat 2.84 XC 2 GTO 08/19/98 CZ-2C/SD Y5 Iridium SV 3,76 1.4 TY 7 LEO 12/19/98 CZ-2C/SD Y6 Iridium SV 11/20 1.4 TY 7 LEO 05/10/99 CZ-4B Y2 Fengyun 1C/Shijian 5 1.26 TY 7 LEO/S 06/11/99 CZ-2C/SD Y7 Iridium SV 14A/21A 1.4 TY 7 LEO/P 10/14/99 CZ-4B Y1 Ziyuan-1/SACI-1 1.51 TY 7 LEO/S 11/19/99 CZ-2F Y1 Shenzhou 1 (UM) 7.8 JQ 43/621 LEO [14] 01/25/00 CZ-3A Y4 Zhongxing 22 2.31 XC 2 GTO+ 06/25/00 CZ-3 Y12 Fengyun 2 1.38 XC 1 GTO 09/01/00 CZ-4B Y3 ZY-2 TY 7 LEO/S 10/30/00 CZ-3A Y5 Beidou 1A (navsat) 2.2 XC 2 EEO 12/20/00 CZ-3A Y6 Beidou 1B 2.2 XC 2 GTO 01/09/02 CZ-2F Y2 Shenzhou 2 (UM) 7.8 JQ 43/621 LEO [14] 03/25/02 CZ-2F Y3 Shenzhou-3 (UM) 7.8 JQ 43/621 LEO [14] 05/15/02 CZ-4B Y5 FengYun-1D/Haiyang-1 1.32 TY 7 LEO/S 10/27/02 CZ-4B Y6 ZiYuan-2 TY 7 LEO/S 12/29/02 CZ-2F Y4 Shenzhou 4 (UM) 7.8 JQ 43/621 LEO [14] 05/24/03 CZ-3A Y7 Beidou 2.20 XC 2 GTO+ 10/15/03 CZ-2F Y5 Shenzhou 5 (1 crew) 7.80 JQ 43/921 LEO [15] 10/21/03 CZ-4B Y4 CBERS 2 1.55 TY 7 LEO/S 11/03/03 CZ-2D Y4 FSW-18 JQ 43/603 LEO 11/14/03 CZ-3A Y8 Zhongxing-20 2.30 XC 2 GTO+ 12/29/03 CZ-2C/SM(CTS) Y1 DoubleStar 1 0.66 XC 1 EEO 04/18/04 CZ-2C Y14 Tansuo 1/Naxing 1 0.23 XC 1 LEO/P 07/25/04 CZ-2C/SM Y2 Tan Ce 2 0.7 TY 7 EEO/P 08/29/04 CZ-2C Y12 JB-4 2.0 JQ 43/603 LEO 09/08/04 CZ-4B Y7 SJ-6A/6B 1.2 TY 7 LEO/P 09/27/04 CZ-2D Y5 FSW-20 3.0 JQ 43/603 LEO 10/19/04 CZ-3A Y9 FY-2C 1.4 XC 2 GTO 11/06/04 CZ-4B Y8 ZY-2C 1.2 TY 7 LEO 11/18/04 CZ-2C Y15 Shiyun Weixing 2 0.3 XC 1 LEO/S 04/12/05 CZ-3B Y6 Apstar 6 4.7 XC 2 GTO 07/05/05 CZ-2D Y6 Shijian-7 JQ 43/603 LEO/s 08/02/05 CZ-2C/3 Y13 FSW-21 3.0 JQ 43/603 LEO 08/29/05 CZ-2D Y7 FSW-22 3.0 JQ 43/603 LEO 10/12/05 CZ-2F Y6 Shenzhou 6 (2 crew) 7.84 JQ 43/921 LEO [16] 04/26/06 CZ-4B Y1 Yaogan 1 2.7 TY 7 LEO/S 09/09/06 CZ-2C Y16 Shi Jian 8 2.0? JQ 43/603 LEO 09/12/06 CZ-3A Y10 Zhongxing 22A 2.31 XC 2 GTO 10/23/06 CZ-4B Y10 Shijian 6-2A & 6-2B 2.4 TY 7 LEO/P 10/28/06 CZ-3B Y7 Xinnuo-2 (Sinosat-2) 5.10 XC 2 GTO 12/08/06 CZ-3A Y11 Fengyun 2D 1.39 XC 2 GTO 02/02/07 CZ-3A Y12 Beidou-4 2.2 XC 2 GTO 04/11/07 CZ-2C Y18 Haiyang 1B (Ocean 1B) 0.36 TY 7 LEO/S 04/13/07 CZ-3A Y13 Compass 2.2? XC 3 MTO 05/13/07 CZ-3BE Y9 NigComSat 1 5.15 XC 2 GTO 05/25/07 CZ-2D Y8 Yaogan 2 radarsat 3.50? JQ 43/603 LEO/S 05/31/07 CZ-3A Y15 SinoSat 3 2.2 XC 3 GTO 07/05/07 CZ-3B Y10 Xhongxing-6B 4.6 XC 2 GTO 09/19/07 CZ-4B Y17 CBERS-2B 1.452 TY 7 LEO/S 10/24/07 CZ-3A Y14 Chang'e-1 (Lunar Orb) 2.3 XC 3 EEO [17] 11/11/07 CZ-4C Y3 Yaogan 3 2.7 TY 7 LEO/S 04/25/08 CZ-3C Y1 Tian Lian 1 3.0? XC 2 GTO 05/27/08 CZ-4C Y2 Feng Yun-3A 2.295 TY 7 LEO/S 06/09/08 CZ-3B Y11 Chinasat 9 4.5 XC 2 GTO 09/06/08 CZ-2C Y1 HJ-1A, HJ-1B TY 7 LEO/S 09/25/08 CZ-2F Y7 Shenzhou 7 7.84 JQ 43/921 LEO [18] 10/25/08 CZ-4B Y22 SJ-6E/SJ-6F 2.4 TY 9 LEO/S[19] 10/29/08 CZ-3BE Y12 Simon Bolivar 5.1 XC 2 GTO 11/05/08 CZ-2D Y12 Shiyan 3/Chuangxin 1-02 0.292 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 12/01/08 CZ-2D Y9 Yaogan 4 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 12/15/08 CZ-4B Y20 Yaogan 5 2.2? TY 9 LEO/S 12/23/08 CZ-3A Y20 Feng Yun 2-06 1.39 XC 3 GTO 04/14/09 CZ-3C Y3 Beidou-G2 3.1? XC 2 GTO 04/22/09 CZ-2C Y19 Yaogan 6 TY 7 LEO/S 08/31/09 CZ-3B Y8 Palapa D1 4.1 XC 2 [EEO] [20] 11/12/09 CZ-2C Y21 Shijian 11-01 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 12/09/09 CZ-2D Y10 Yaogan 7 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 12/15/09 CZ-4C Y4 Yaogan 8 1.04 TY 9 LEO/S 01/16/10 CZ-3C Y2 Beidou 3C XC 2 GTO 03/05/10 CZ-4C Y5 Yaogan 9 2.8? JQ 43/603 LEO [29] 06/02/10 CZ-3C Y4 Beidou 3G XC 2 GTO 06/15/10 CZ-2D Y15 SJ-12 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 07/31/10 CZ-3A Y16 Beidou 2-5 XC 3 GTO/i 08/09/10 CZ-4C Y6 Yaogan 10 2.7? TY 9 LEO/S 08/24/10 CZ-2D Y14 Tianhui 1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 09/04/10 CZ-3BE Y13 Chinasat 6A ~5.00 XC 2 GTO+ 09/22/10 CZ-2D Y11 Yaogan Weixing 11 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 10/01/10 CZ-3C Y7 Chang'e 2 2.5 XC 2 HTO [21] 10/06/10 CZ-4B Y23 Shijian 6 4A/4B ~2.0 TY 9 LEO/S 10/31/10 CZ-3C Y5 Beidou 2-G4 XC 2 GTO 11/04/10 CZ-4C Y7 FY-3B 2.2 TY 9 LEO/S 11/24/10 CZ-3A Y21 Zhongxing 20A 2.3 XC 3 GTO+ 12/17/10 CZ-3A Y18 Beidou 2 (Compass 2I2) XC 3 GTO/i 04/09/11 CZ-3A Y19 Beidou 8 XC 3 GTO/i 06/20/11 CZ-3BE Y20 Zhongxing 10 ~5.1 XC 2 GTO+ 07/06/11 CZ-2C Y25 SJ 11-03 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 07/11/11 CZ-3C Y8 TL I-01 XC 2 GTO/+ 07/26/11 CZ-3A Y17 Beidou 9 (2-I4) XC 3 GTO/i 07/29/11 CZ-2C Y24 ShiJian 11-02 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 08/11/11 CZ-3BE Y19 Paksat 1R 4.99 XC 2 GTO+ 08/15/11 CZ-4B Y14 Haiyang 2 TY 9 LEO/S 08/18/11 CZ-2C Y26 ShiJian 11-04 JQ 43/603 [FTO][22] 09/18/11 CZ-3BE Y16 Chinasat 1A 5.2 XC 2 GTO 09/29/11 CZ-2FT1 T1 Tiangong 1 8.5 JQ 43/921 LEO [23] 10/07/11 CZ-3BE Y18 W3C 5.4 XC 2 GTO 10/31/11 CZ-2F Y8 Shenzhou 8 8.08 JQ 43/921 LEO [23] 11/09/11 CZ-4B Y21 Yaogan 12 TY 9 LEO/S 11/20/11 CZ-2D Y19 Chuangxin 1-03/Shiyan 4 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 11/29/11 CZ-2C Y20 Yaogan 13 TY 9 LEO/S 12/01/11 CZ-3A Y23 Beidou 10 (2-I5) XC 3 GTO/i 12/17/11 CZ-3BE Y21 NigComSat 1R 5.15 XC 2 GTO 12/22/11 CZ-4B Y15 Ziyuan I-02C 2.1 TY 9 LEO/S 01/09/12 CZ-4B Y26 Ziyuan 3 2.65 TY 9 LEO/S 01/13/12 CZ-3A Y22 Fengyun 2-07(F) XC 3 GTO 02/24/12 CZ-3C Y6 Beidou 11 (2G5) 3.8 XC 2 GTO 03/31/12 CZ-3BE Y22 Apstar 7 5.054 XC 2 GTO 04/30/12 CZ-3B Y14 Compass M3/M4 ~4.0 XC 2 MTO 05/06/12 CZ-2D Y17 Tianhui I-02 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 05/10/12 CZ-4B Y12 Yaogan 14/Tiantuo 1 TY 9 LEO/S 05/26/12 CZ-3BE Y17 Xhongxing 2A 5.4? XC 2 GTO 05/29/12 CZ-4C Y10 Yaogan 15 2.8? TY 9 LEO/S 06/16/12 CZ-2F/G Y9 Shenzhou 9 7.7 JQ 43/921 LEO [24] 07/25/12 CZ-3C Y9 Tianlian-1 (3) 2.462 XC 2 GTO+ 09/18/12 CZ-3B Y15 Beidou M5/M6 ~4.0 XC 2 MTO 09/29/12 CZ-2D Y16 VRSS 1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 10/14/12 CZ-2C Y2 Shijian 9 (2sats) TY 9 LEO/P 10/25/12 CZ-3C Y10 Beidou G6 3.8 XC 2 GTO 11/18/12 CZ-2C Y17 Huanjing 1C TY 9 LEO/S 11/24/12 CZ-4C Y9 Yaogan 16 JQ 43/603 LEO [29] 11/27/12 CZ-3BE Y24 Zhongxing 12 5.0 XC 2 GTO 12/18/12 CZ-2D Y22 Gokturk 2 0.45 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 04/26/13 CZ-2D Y18 GaoFen 1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 05/01/13 CZ-3BE Y25 Chinasat 11 XC 2 GTO 06/11/13 CZ-2F Y10 Shenzhou 10 7.7 JQ 43/921 LEO [25] 07/15/13 CZ-2C Y23 Shijian 11-05 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 07/19/13 CZ-4C CZ4C10 SH 15, SW 7, CX 3 TY 9 LEO/S 09/01/13 CZ-4C Y13 Yaogan Weixing 17 JQ 43/603 LEO [29] 09/23/13 CZ-4C Y12 Fengyun 3C 2.45 TY 9 LEO/S 10/25/13 CZ-4B Y25 Shijian 16 JQ 43/603 LEO 10/29/13 CZ-2C CZ2C40 Yaogan 18 TY 9 LEO/S 11/20/13 CZ-4C CZ4C13 Yaogan 19 ~1.10 TY 9 LEO/S 11/25/13 CZ-2D CZ2D20 SY 5 JQ 43/603 LEO/SSS 12/01/13 CZ-3BE CZ3B25 Chang'e 3 1.34 XC 2 EEO [26] 12/09/13 CZ-4B Y10 CBERS-3 2.1 TY 9 [FTO][27] 12/20/13 CZ-3BE Y27 Tupac Katari 5.1 XC 2 GTO 03/31/14 CZ-2C CZ2C41 Shijian 11-06 ~1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 08/09/14 CZ-4C Y14 Yaogan 20 JQ 43/603 LEO [29] 08/19/14 CZ-4B Y27 Gaofen 2/BRITE-PL-2 ~2 TY 9 LEO/S 09/04/14 CZ-2D CZ2D21 CX 1-04/Ling Qiao JQ 43/603 LEO/S 09/08/14 CZ-4B Y28 Yaogan 21/Tiantuo 2 TY 9 LEO/S 09/28/14 CZ-2C Y31 Shijian 11-07 ~1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 10/20/14 CZ-4C Yaogan 22 ~2 TY 9 LEO/S 10/23/14 CZ-3CE Chang'e-5-T1 XC 2 EEO [28] 10/27/14 CZ-2C Shijian 11-08 ~1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 11/14/14 CZ-2C Yaogan 23 ~1 TY 9 LEO/S 11/20/14 CZ-2D CZ2D22 Yaogan 24 ~1 JQ 43/603 LEO/S 12/07/14 CZ-4B Y32 CBERS 4 1.98 TY LEO/S 12/10/14 CZ-4C Yaogan 25 JQ 43/603 LEO [29] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES: [1] 2nd stage lost thrust.
[2] First China liquid hydrogen third stage. First GTO attempt. Third stage failed
during 2nd burn.
[3] First successful China GTO mission for GEO satellite. First LH2 success.
[4] First CZ launch of U.S. built satellite. Asiasat 1 was Hughes HS 376 model that
was originally launched by STS as Westar 6 in 1984, but was stranded in LEO when
its PKM failed. Satellite was recovered during 1984 STS-51A mission and resold
by Hughes.
[5] CZ-3E maiden flight placed mass simulator for Star-63F/Optus payload into LEO.
Also orbited 52 kg Badr 1 microsatellite for Pakistan.
[6] Premature 3rd stage shutdown left satellite in unusable orbit.
[7] CZ-3E rocket placed Star-63F motor and satellite into LEO. Star-63F fired
to reach GTO. Satellite put itself into GEO. Satellites were HS-601 series,
weighing 1.651 tonnes in GEO, 2.858 tonnes at separation from Star-63F.
Star-63F solid motor weighed 4.59 tonnes at liftoff.
[8] Payload fairing failed T+45 seconds. Pieces of damaged, nonfunctiong
satellite and Star 63F kick motor reach LEO. China said satellite exploded.
Hughes (Optus manufacturer) said fairing failed. No agreement on cause.
[9] Maiden flight of CZ-3A. Placed 1.6 tonne KF-1 dummysat and 0.4 tonne SJ 4
into GTO.
[10] Exploded at T+51 seconds due to wind shear. Payload fairing failure. Hughes,
manufacturer of this HS-601 satellite, found the cause to be "the deficiency
in the fairing longitudinal split line design requirements and/or design".
Hughes also concluded that the same failure caused loss of Optus B2 in
December 1992. The findings, and recommended design changes, were given to
China's launch vehicle team, which violated U.S. export control laws. The
resulting scandal eventually ended CZ launches of U.S. built satellites.
[11] Maiden flight of CZ-3B. Veered at liftoff and crashed near pad. Failure
of guidance inertial measurement unit amplifier.
[12] First U.S. built satellite for China. HS-376 comsat. Left in unusable LEO
when third stage shut down prematurely.
[13] Iridium mass simulators (two) on vehicle configuraiton test flight.
[14] Unmanned test of CZ-2F and Shenzhou spacecraft.
[15] Crewed flight with China's first astronaut, Yang Liwei.
[16] Carried two astronauts.
[17] China's first robotic lunar orbiter.
[18] Three astronauts. Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming performed China's first space
walk.
[19] First use of new launch pad at Taiyaun.
[20] Failure during second Stg 3 burn left sat in 221x21135x22.3deg orbit, about
350-400 m/s short of planned GTO.
[21] China's 2nd lunar orbiter.
[22] Failed to Orbit. 2nd stg failure. Steering vernier failed.
[23] Tiangong 1 space laboratory launch by CZ-2FT. Unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft
automatically docked with Tiangong 1 twice during its six week mission.
[24] Shenzhou 9 with three crew was first crew to dock with Tiangong 1 space station.
Docked from June 18 to June 29. Crew included first Chinese female
astronaut, Liu Yang.
[25] Shenzhou 10 with crew of three docked with Tiangong 1 from June 13 to June 26.
[26] China's first robotic lunar landing. Carried Yutu rover. First landing attempt
since Luna 24, 1976.
[27] Planned 786 km sun synchronous orbit not achieved. 3rd stage cutoff early.
[28] Lunar free return trajectory. Lunar sample return reentry vehicle test. [29] Multiple satellite array for sigint (naval tracking) to ~1,100 km x 64.4 deg.
* ABBREVIATIONS
FTO Failed to Orbit
[EEO] Unintended Eliptical Earth Orbit
[GTO] Unintended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
[LEO] Unintended Low Earth Orbit
DF Dong Feng (ballistic missile)
FB Feng Bao (based on DF-5 missile)
CZ Chang Zheng (Long March) (CZ-2, 3, and 4 based on DF-5 missile,
CZ-1 based on DF-3 missile)
KT Kaitouzha (based on DF-31 missile)
JQ Jiuquan (57-70 deg inclination orbits, recoverable payloads)
XC Xichang Space Center (GTO launch site, supports LH2 stages)
TY Taiyuan Space Center (LEO polar or sun synchronous orbits)
CK Changkong
FH Feng Huo
FSW Fanhui Shi Weixing (recoverable satellite)
FY Fengyun
HJ Huan Jing
JSSW Ji Shu Shiyan Weixing
KF Kuafu
QQW Qi Qui Weixing
SJ Shi Jian (Practice)
STTW Shiyan Tongbu Tongxin Weixing
ZW Zhongwei (Chinastar)
ZX Zhongxing
References
Long March Users Manuals, CALT, 1999 Last Update: December 10, 2014 |
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CZ-3B at Xi Chang LC 2
CZ-4B Launch