 Rendering of Long March 2C | |
| Function | Launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | CALT |
| Country of origin | People's Republic of China |
| Size | |
| Height | 42 m (138 ft) [1] |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) [1] |
| Mass | 233,000 kg (514,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to Low Earth orbit | |
| Mass | 3,850 kg (8,490 lb) |
| Payload to Sun-synchronous orbit | |
| Mass | 2C: 1,400 kg (3,100 lb) 2C/SMA: 1,900 kg (4,200 lb) |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 2C/SM: 1,250 kg (2,760 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | LA-2/138 and LA-4/SLS-2, JSLC LA-7 and LA-9, TSLC LA-3, XSLC |
| Total launches | 80 |
| Success(es) | 78 |
| Failure(s) | 1 |
| Partial failure(s) | 1 |
| First flight | 9 September 1982 |
| Last flight | 9 November 2024 |
| First stage | |
| Height | 25.72 m |
| Diameter | 3.35 m |
| Propellant mass | 162,706 kg (358,705 lb) |
| Powered by | 4 YF-21C |
| Maximum thrust | 2,961.6 kN (665,800 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 2,556.5 m/s (8,387 ft/s) |
| Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
| Second stage | |
| Height | 7.757 m |
| Diameter | 3.35 m |
| Propellant mass | 54,667 kg (120,520 lb) |
| Powered by | 1 YF-24E (1 x YF-22E (Main)) (4 x YF-23C (Vernier)) |
| Maximum thrust | 741.4 kN (166,700 lbf) (Main) 47.1 kN (10,600 lbf) (Vernier) |
| Specific impulse | 2,922.37 m/s (297.999 s) (Main) 2,834.11 m/s (288.999 s) (Vernier) |
| Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
| Third stage – (optional) | |
| Height | 1.5 m |
| Diameter | 2.7 m |
| Propellant mass | 125 kg (276 lb) |
| Powered by | 1 solid motor |
| Maximum thrust | 10.78 kN (2,420 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 2,804 m/s (285.9 s) |
| Propellant | AP / HTPB |
| Third stage (optional) – YZ-1S | |
| Powered by | 1 × YF-50D |
| Maximum thrust | 6.5 kN (1,500 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 315.5 s (3.094 km/s) |
| Propellant | N2O4 / UDMH |
The Long March 2C (LM-2C), also known as the Chang Zheng 2C (CZ-2C), is a Chinese orbital launch vehicle, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT),[2] the Long March 2C made its first launch on 9 September 1982. It is a two-stage launch vehicle with storable propellants, consisting of Nitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The launch vehicle was derived from the DF-5 ICBM.[2]
Several variants of this launch vehicle have been built, all using an optional third solid motor stage:[3]
- 2C/SD: Commercial satellite launcher with a multi-satellite smart dispenser allowing delivery of two satellites simultaneously
- 2C/SM: Version for delivery of small satellites to high orbits
- 2C/SMA: Improved version of the 2C/SM
According to the website Gunter's Space Page,[4] in addition to the launches listed in the following table, there may have been six additional CZ-2C launches during 2014 and 2015. These possible launches apparently were conducted at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on the following dates: 9 January 2014, 7 August 2014, 2 December 2014, 7 June 2015, 20 August 2015, and 23 November 2015; five of these six launches were apparently successful, while the launch on 7 August 2014 appears to have failed. However, due to the lack of additional sources for these six launches, they are not currently included in the following launch list.
Aerodynamic grid fins were added on the Long March 2C in 2019 to help guide falling stages away from populated areas. China is studying using reusable rocket technology in the future.[5] A fairing recovery system through parachutes has been tested during the Yaogan 30-09 and Yaogan 30-10 launches in order to improve control of debris landing inland on potentially populated areas.[6]
- ^ a b "LM-2C". China Great Wall Industry Corporation. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ a b "China's Orbital Launch Activity 2020" (PDF). Bryce Space and Technology. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Chang Zheng-2C (Long March-2C)". SinoDefence. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
- ^ Gunter Dirk Krebs. "CZ-2 (Chang Zheng-2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ Clark, Stephen (10 June 2020). "China launches ocean monitoring satellite". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ Navin, Joseph (18 July 2021). "China tests fairing recovery technologies on Long March 2C launch with four satellites". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 19 July 2021.