Long March rocket
55125
224534371
2008-07-09T08:18:31Z
218.102.39.153
/* Specifications of Long March rocket family */ add enlarged fairing of 5.20 m in diameter and lenght of 12.39 m to accommodate large spacecraft
[[Image:Chang zheng 2d.gif|thumb|Chang Zheng 2D launch]]
[[Image:Chang zheng 3a launch.gif|thumb|Chang Zheng 3A launch]]
[[Image:CZ-2F launch vehicle.png|thumb|CZ-2F rocket]]
A '''Long March rocket''' ({{zh-stp|s=长征系列运载火箭|t=長征系列運載火箭|p=Chángzhēng xìliè yùnzài huǒjiàn}}) is any [[rocket]] in a family of [[expendable launch system]]s operated by the [[People's Republic of China]]. Development and design falls under the auspices of the [[China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology]]. In [[English language|English]], the rockets are abbreviated as LM- for export and CZ- within China. The rockets are named after the [[Long March]] of [[History of the People's Republic of China|Chinese communist history]].
== Payloads ==
The PRC launched its first [[satellite]], known as [[Dong Fang Hong 1]] ("the East is Red"), to [[Earth orbit]] on its own Long March space rocket on [[April 24]], [[1970]], becoming the fifth nation to achieve independent launch capability. The [[Shenzhou]] spacecraft and [[Chang'e 1]] lunar orbiter are also launched on the Long March rocket. The maximum payload for [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] is 9200 kg (CZ-2F), the maximum payload for [[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]] is 5200 kg (CZ-3B). The next generation rocket -- [[Long March 5 rocket family|Long March 5]] variants will offer more payload in the future.
== Propellants ==
As of 2003, the main stages and the [[booster rocket]]s of Long March rockets use [[storable propellants]] with [[UDMH]] as the fuel and [[dinitrogen tetroxide]] as the [[oxidizing agent]]. The upper stages (third stage) of Long March 3 rockets use [[YF-73]] and [[YF-75]] engines, using [[Liquid hydrogen]] (LH2) as the fuel and [[Liquid oxygen]] (LOX) as the oxidizer.
== Specifications of Long March rocket family ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-bgcolor="#ccccff"|align="center"
!Model !!Status !!Stages !!Length<br> (m) !!Max. diameter<br> (m) !!Liftoff mass<br> (t) !! Liftoff thrust<br> (kN) !! Payload<br> ([[Low Earth orbit| LEO]], kg) !! Payload<br> ([[Geostationary transfer orbit| GTO]], kg)
|-
|[[Long March 1]]||Retired||3||29.86||2.25|| 81.6||1020|| 300 || -
|-
|[[Long March 1D]]||Retired||3||28.22||2.25|| 81.1||1101|| 930 || -
|-
|[[Long March 2A]]||Retired||2||31.17||3.35||190||2786|| 1800 || -
|-
|[[Long March 2C]]||Active||2||35.15||3.35||192||2786|| 2400 || -
|-
|[[Long March 2D]]||Active||2 ||33.667<br> (without shield)||3.35||232|| 2962|| 3100 || -
|-
|[[Long March 2E]]||Retired{{Fact|date=April 2008}}||2 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||49.686||7.85||462||5923|| 9200 || 3500
|-
|[[Long March 2E(A)]]||In development <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cardc.cn/show_field.asp?wt_id=2&field_name=WT_PROJECT|title =CZ-2EA地面风载试验|publisher= [[中国空气动力研究与发展中心]]|date=2008-02-04|accessdate=June 30|accessyear=2008}}</ref></br> Enlarged fairing of 5.20 m in diameter and lenght of 12.39 m to accommodate large spacecrafts
||2 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||53.60||N/A|| 695||8910|| 14100||-
|-
|[[Long March 2F]]||Active||2 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||58.34||7.85||480||5923|| 8400 || 3370
|-
|[[Long March 2F/G]]||First launch for 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/7425999.html|title=独家:"神八"将用改进型火箭发射 2010年左右首飞| publisher= [[人民网]]|date=June 25, 2008|accessdate=June 26|accessyear=2008}}</ref> ||2 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||N/A||7.85||N/A||N/A|| 11200 || N/A
|-
|[[Long March 3]]||Retired||3||43.8||3.35||202||2962|| 5000 || 1500
|-
|[[Long March 3A]]||Active||3||52.3||3.35||241||2962|| 8500 || 2600
|-
|[[Long March 3B]]||Active||3 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||54.84||7.85||425.5||5924||12000 || 5200
|-
|[[Long March 3B(A)]]||In development||3 (plus 4<br>Strap-on boosters)||62.00||7.85||580 ||8910||13000 || 6000
|-
|[[Long March 3C]]||Active||3 (plus 2<br>Strap-on boosters)||54.84||7.85||345||4443|| - || 3800
|-
|[[Long March 4A]]||Retired||3||41.9||3.35||249||2962|| 4000 || '''([[SSO]])''' <br>1500
|-
|[[Long March 4B]]||Active||3||44.1||3.35||254||2971|| 4200 || '''([[SSO]])''' <br>2200
|-
|[[Long March 4C]]||Active||3|| ||3.35|| ||2971?|| ||
|}
''See also:'' [[Long March 5 rocket family]]
== Origins ==
The Long March rocket is related to early versions of the [[Dongfeng missile]] (note that Dongfeng is the generic Chinese name for all of its land [[Intercontinental ballistic missile|ICBMs]]). However, like its counterparts in both the [[United States]] and in [[Russia]], the differing needs of space rockets and strategic missiles have caused the development of space rockets and missiles to diverge. The main goal of a space rocket is to maximize payload, while for strategic missiles increased throw weight is much less important than the ability to launch quickly and to survive a [[first strike]]. This divergence has become clear in the next generation of Long March rockets which use cryogenic propellants in sharp contrast to the next generation of strategic missiles which are mobile and [[solid fuel]]led.
== Launch sites ==
There are four launch centers in China. They are:
*[[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center]]
*[[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]]
*[[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center]]
*[[Wenchang Satellite Launch Center]]
Most of the commercial satellite launches of Long March vehicles have been from [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]], located in [[Xichang]], [[Sichuan]] province. [[Wenchang Satellite Launch Center]] in [[Hainan]] province is under expansion and will be the main launch center for future commercial satellite launches. Long March launches also take place from the more military oriented [[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center]] in [[Gansu]] province from which the manned [[Shenzhou spacecraft]] also launches. [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center]] is located in [[Shanxi]] province and focuses on the launches of [[Sun-synchronous orbit]] satellites.
== Commercial launch services ==
China markets launch services under the [[China Great Wall Industry Corporation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cgwic.com/about/index.html |title=About CGWIC |publisher=CGWIC}}</ref> Its efforts to launch communications satellites were dealt a blow in the mid-1990s after the United States stopped issuing export licenses to companies to allow them to launch on Chinese launch vehicles out of fear that this would help [[People's Liberation Army|China's military]]. In the face of this, [[Thales Alenia Space]] built the [[Chinasat-6B]] satellite with no components from the United States whatsoever. This allowed it to be launched on a Chinese launch vehicle without violating U.S. [[International Traffic in Arms Regulations| ITAR]] restrictions.<ref>
{{cite web | url = http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2007-07-06-china-launches-satellite_N.htm | title = China launches satellite despite restrictions | publisher = USA TODAY}}</ref> The launch, on a Long March 3B rocket, was successfully conducted on [[5 July]] [[2007]].
==Launch history==
{{main|List of Long March rocket launches}}
Early launches had a spotty record, focusing on lauching of Chinese satellites. Since 1990, Long March rocket entered the international market. However, several setbacks occurred during early 1990s. On [[January 26]], [[1995]], a Long March 2E rocket veered off course two seconds after take-off from Xichang space center and exploded, killing at least six on the ground. On [[February 15]], [[1996]], a similar failure during the launch of [[Intelsat 708]] using a Long March 3B rocket resulted in an unknown number of casualties. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4oAQm4r5sI&mode=related&search=] The rocket veered severely off course right after clearing the launch tower and landed in a rural village. Following the disaster, foreign media were sequestered in a bunker for five hours while, some have alleged, the Chinese military attempted to 'clean up' the damage. The Chinese [[Xinhua News Agency]] eventually reported 57 deaths, but the extent of damage observed by foreign journalists whilst being whisked away from the disaster site suggested there may have been at least 200 and upwards of 500 killed.<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Mintz |authorlink= |title=Missile Failures Led To Loral-China Link |page=A20 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/rocket061298.htm |work=|publisher= Washington Post |date= 1998-06-12 |accessdate=2007-06-30 }}</ref>
In the aftermath of the explosion, U.S. satellite makers shared information which allowed the Chinese to determine that the problem was in the welds. However, this sharing of information was later deemed illegal by the United States, and U.S. satellite maker [[Loral Space and Communications]] was fined $14 million by the [[U.S. government]] in 2002, while admitting no wrong-doing.<ref name=loralfine>Mintz, John, [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/01/01/MN153988.DTL "2 U.S. space giants accused of aiding China Hughes, Boeing allegedly gave away missile technology illegally"], ''[[Washington Post]]'', [[January 1|Jan. 1]], [[2003]]</ref>
Since the improvements made after the 1996 accident, the reliability of the Long March rockets has been excellent, with zero failed launches. On [[October 15]], [[2003]], the Long March 2F rocket successfully launched the ''[[Shenzhou 5]]'' spacecraft/orbiter carrying China's first astronaut into space, and on [[October 12]], [[2005]], ''[[Shenzhou 6]]'' with two astronauts; China became the third nation to send man into space on its own, after the [[Soviet Union]]/[[Russia]] and the [[USA]]. On June 1, 2007, Long March rockets completed the 100th launch. On [[October 24]], [[2007]], the Long March 3A successfully launched (18:05 GMT+8) the "[[Chang'e 1]]" [[lunar]] orbiting [[spacecraft]] from the [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]].
== Planned launches ==
{{update |section |date=June 2008}}
==See also==
{{portal|Spaceflight|RocketSunIcon.svg}}
* [[China National Space Administration]]
* [[Shenzhou spacecraft]]
* [[Space program of China]]
* [[Tsien Hsue-shen]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.astronautix.com/lvfam/lonmarch.htm Extensive information on the Chinese space program]
* [http://www.cgwic.com/index1.html China Great Wall Industry Corporation]
* [http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/2006/launch06.html NASA links - substitute year for other years]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4oAQm4r5sI&mode=related&search= Long March 3 accident]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/1921/engine.htm Long March Engines List]
* [http://www.braeunig.us/space/specs/lgmarch.htm Rocket and Space Technology]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/1921/launch.htm Chinese Launch Vehicle Overview]
{{Chinese space program}}
{{Long March rockets}}
{{Space exploration lists and timelines}}
{{Rocket families}}
{{ELVs}}
[[Category:Space launch vehicles]]
[[Category:Chinese space program]]
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