Long March 3C
![]() Schematic of Long March 3C | |
Function | Carrier rocket |
---|---|
Manufacturer | CALT |
Country of origin | China |
Size | |
Height | |
Diameter | 3.35 metres (11.0 ft) [1] |
Mass | 345,000 kilograms (761,000 lb) [1] |
Stages | 3 |
Capacity | |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass | 3C: 3,800 kilograms (8,400 lb) [3][4] 3C/E: 3,900 kilograms (8,600 lb) |
Payload to HCO | |
Mass | 2,400 kilograms (5,300 lb) [3][4] |
Associated rockets | |
Family | Long March |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | LA-2 and LA-3, XSLC |
Total launches | 17 |
Success(es) | 17 |
First flight |
|
Boosters (3C) | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Height | 15.33 m (50.3 ft) |
Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
Propellant mass | 37,700 kg (83,100 lb) |
Powered by | 1 YF-25 |
Maximum thrust | 740.4 kN (166,400 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 2,556.2 m/s (260.66 s) |
Burn time | 127 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
Boosters (3C/E) | |
No. boosters | 2 |
Height | 16.1 m (53 ft) |
Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
Propellant mass | 41,100 kg (90,600 lb) |
Powered by | 1 YF-25 |
Maximum thrust | 740.4 kN (166,400 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 2,556.2 m/s (260.66 s) |
Burn time | 140 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
First stage (3C) | |
Height | 23.27 m (76.3 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Propellant mass | 171,800 kg (378,800 lb) |
Powered by | 4 YF-21C |
Maximum thrust | 2,961.6 kN (665,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 2,556.5 m/s (260.69 s) |
Burn time | 145 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
First stage (3C/E) | |
Height | 24.76 m (81.2 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Propellant mass | 186,200 kg (410,500 lb) |
Powered by | 4 YF-21C |
Maximum thrust | 2,961.6 kN (665,800 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 2,556.5 m/s (260.69 s) |
Burn time | 158 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
Second stage | |
Height | 12.92 m (42.4 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Propellant mass | 49,400 kg (108,900 lb) |
Powered by | 1 YF-24E (YF-22E (Main) 4 x YF-23C (Vernier)) |
Maximum thrust | 742 kN (167,000 lbf) (Main) 47.1 kN (10,600 lbf) (Vernier) |
Specific impulse | 2,922.57 m/s (298.019 s) (Main) 2,910.5 m/s (296.79 s) (Vernier) |
Burn time | 185 seconds |
Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
Third stage | |
Height | 12.38 m (40.6 ft) |
Diameter | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
Propellant mass | 18,200 kg (40,100 lb) |
Powered by | 1 YF-75 |
Maximum thrust | 167.17 kN (37,580 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 4,295 m/s (438.0 s) |
Burn time | 487 seconds |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
The Long March 3C (simplified Chinese: 长征三号丙火箭; traditional Chinese: 長征三號丙火箭; pinyin: Chángzhēng Sānhào Bǐng Huǒjiàn), also known as the Changzheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. A 3-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and was derived from the Long March 3B. It was designed to fill a gap in payload capacities between the Long March 3A and 3B.
Launches
It made its maiden flight on 25 April 2008, at 15:35 UTC. The payload for the first launch was the Tianlian-1 data relay communications satellite. The second carried the Compass-G2 navigation satellite and was conducted on 14 April 2009. The third launch was made on 16 January 2010, with the Compass-G1 satellite. The fourth carrying the Compass-G3 navigation satellite was launched on 2 June 2010. On 1 October 2010, it successfully launched China's second lunar probe, Chang'e 2.
An enhanced version of the Long March 3C rocket debuted during the launch of Chang'e 5-T1 on 23 October 2014.[5] On 30 March 2015, the Yuanzheng-1 upper stage was used on top of a Long March 3C rocket for the first time.[6]
List of launches
Flight number | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Version | Payload | Orbit | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 25 April 2008 15:35 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Tianlian I-01 | GTO | Success |
2 | 14 April 2009 16:16 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G2 | GTO | Success |
3 | 16 January 2010 16:12 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G1 | GTO | Success |
4 | 2 June 2010 15:53 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G3 | GTO | Success |
5 | 1 October 2010 10:59 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Chang'e 2 | LTO | Success |
6 | 31 October 2010 16:26 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G4 | GTO | Success |
7 | 11 July 2011 15:41 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Tianlian I-02 | GTO | Success |
8 | 24 February 2012 16:12 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G5 | GTO | Success |
9 | 25 July 2012 15:43 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Tianlian I-03 | GTO | Success |
10 | 25 October 2012 15:33 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C | Compass-G6 | GTO | Success |
11 | 23 October 2014 18:00 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C/E | Chang'e 5-T1 | LTO | Success |
12 | 30 March 2015 13:52 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C/YZ-1 | BDS I1-S | GSO | Success |
13 | 1 February 2016 07:29 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C/YZ-1 | BDS M3-S | MEO | Success |
14 | 12 June 2016 15:30 |
LA-3, XSLC | 3C/E | Compass-G7 | GTO | Success |
15 | 22 November 2016 15:24 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C/E | Tianlian I-04 | GTO | Success |
16 | 24 December 2018 16:53 |
LA-3, XSLC | 3C/E | TJSW-3 | GTO | Success |
17 | 17 May 2019 15:48 |
LA-2, XSLC | 3C/E | Compass-G8 | GTO | Success |
References
- ^ a b c Wade, Mark. "CZ-3C". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
- ^ https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2105
- ^ a b "LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011" (PDF). China Great Wall Industries Corporation. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ a b Gunter Krebs. "CZ-3C (Chang Zheng-3C)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
- ^ Barbosa, Rui C. (23 October 2014). "China launches lunar sample return test mission". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ^ Barbosa, Rui C. (30 March 2015). "Long March 3C in secretive launch with new Upper Stage". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 10 August 2015.