Long March 3C

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 launch vehicle. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). A three-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.

Schematic of Long March 3C
FunctionLaunch vehicle
ManufacturerCALT
Country of originChina
Size
Height
  • 3C: 54.8 m (180 ft) [1]
  • 3C/E: 55.64 m (182.5 ft) [2]
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft) [1]
Mass345,000 kg (761,000 lb)
Stages3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass3C: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) [3]
3C/E: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb)[4]
Payload to GTO
Mass3C: 3,800 kg (8,400 lb) [5][6]
3C/E: 3,900 kg (8,600 lb)
Payload to HCO
Mass2,400 kg (5,300 lb) [5][6]
Associated rockets
FamilyLong March
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesXSLC, LA-2 and LA-3
Total launches18
Success(es)18
First flight
  • 3C: 25 April 2008
  • 3C/E: 23 October 2014
Last flight
  • 3C: 1 February 2016
  • 3C/E: 6 July 2021
Type of passengers/cargo
Chang'e 2, Chang'e 5-T1
Boosters (3C)
No. boosters2
Height15.33 m (50.3 ft)
Diameter2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Propellant mass37,700 kg (83,100 lb)
Powered by1 YF-25
Maximum thrust740.4 kN (166,400 lbf)
Specific impulse2,556.2 m/s (8,386 ft/s)
Burn time127 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
Boosters (3C/E)
No. boosters2
Height16.1 m (53 ft)
Diameter2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Propellant mass41,100 kg (90,600 lb)
Powered by1 YF-25
Maximum thrust740.4 kN (166,400 lbf)
Specific impulse2,556.2 m/s (8,386 ft/s)
Burn time140 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
First stage (3C)
Height23.27 m (76.3 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass171,800 kg (378,800 lb)
Powered by4 YF-21C
Maximum thrust2,961.6 kN (665,800 lbf)
Specific impulse2,556.5 m/s (8,387 ft/s)
Burn time145 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
First stage (3C/E)
Height24.76 m (81.2 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass186,200 kg (410,500 lb)
Powered by4 YF-21C
Maximum thrust2,961.6 kN (665,800 lbf)
Specific impulse2,556.5 m/s (8,387 ft/s)
Burn time158 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
Second stage
Height12.92 m (42.4 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass49,400 kg (108,900 lb)
Powered by1 YF-24E (YF-22E (Main)
4 x YF-23C (Vernier))
Maximum thrust742 kN (167,000 lbf) (Main)
47.1 kN (10,600 lbf) (Vernier)
Specific impulse2,922.57 m/s (9,588.5 ft/s) (Main)
2,910.5 m/s (9,549 ft/s) (Vernier)
Burn time185 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH
Third stage
Height12.38 m (40.6 ft)
Diameter3.0 m (9.8 ft)
Propellant mass18,200 kg (40,100 lb)
Powered by1 YF-75
Maximum thrust167.17 kN (37,580 lbf)
Specific impulse4,295 m/s (14,090 ft/s)
Burn time487 seconds
PropellantLH2 / LOX

Launch Statistics
1
2
3
4
2008
2010
2015
2020
  •   Failure
  •   Partial failure
  •   Success
  •   Planned

Launches

It made its maiden flight on 25 April 2008, at 15:35 UTC. The payload for the first launch was the Tianlian I-01 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, named Long March 3C/E, debuted during the launch of Chang'e 5-T1 on 23 October 2014.[7] On 30 March 2015, the Yuanzheng upper stage was used on top of a Long March 3C launch vehicle for the first time.[8]

List of launches
Main article: List of Long March launches
Flight number Serial number Date (UTC) Launch site Version Payload Orbit Result
1 Y1 25 April 2008
15:35		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Tianlian I-01 GTO Success
2 Y3 14 April 2009
16:16		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G2 GTO Success
3 Y2 16 January 2010
16:12		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G1 GTO Success
4 Y4 2 June 2010
15:53		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G3 GTO Success
5 Y7 1 October 2010
10:59		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Chang'e 2 LTO Success
6 Y5 31 October 2010
16:26		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G4 GTO Success
7 Y8 11 July 2011
15:41		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Tianlian I-02 GTO Success
8 Y6 24 February 2012
16:12		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G5 GTO Success
9 Y9 25 July 2012
15:43		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Tianlian I-03 GTO Success
10 Y10 25 October 2012
15:33		 XSLC, LA-2 3C Compass-G6 GTO Success
11 Y12 23 October 2014
18:00		 XSLC, LA-2 3C/E Chang'e 5-T1 LTO Success
12 Y11 30 March 2015
13:52		 XSLC, LA-2 3C / Yuanzheng BDS I1-S GSO Success
13 Y14 1 February 2016
07:29		 XSLC, LA-2 3C / Yuanzheng BDS M3-S MEO Success
14 Y15 12 June 2016
15:30		 XSLC, LA-3 3C/E Compass-G7 GTO Success
15 Y13 22 November 2016
15:24		 XSLC, LA-2 3C/E Tianlian I-04 GTO Success
16 Y17 24 December 2018
16:53		 XSLC, LA-3 3C/E TJS-3 GTO Success
17 Y16 17 May 2019
15:48		 XSLC, LA-2 3C/E Compass-G8 GTO Success
18 Y18 6 July 2021
15:53		 XSLC, LA-2 3C/E Tianlian I-05 GTO Success

References
  1. Wade, Mark. "CZ-3C". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  2. "Long March 3C/E | Tianlian 1D".
  3. "Long March 3C | Chang'e 2".
  4. "Long March 3C/E | Tianlian 1D".
  5. "LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011" (PDF). China Great Wall Industries Corporation. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  6. Gunter Krebs. "CZ-3C (Chang Zheng-3C)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
  7. Barbosa, Rui C. (23 October 2014). "China launches lunar sample return test mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  8. Barbosa, Rui C. (30 March 2015). "Long March 3C in secretive launch with new Upper Stage". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
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