Long March 3B
Encyclopedia
The Long March 3B also known as the Chang Zheng 3B, CZ-3B and LM-3B, is a Chinese
orbit
al carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A three-stage rocket with four strap-on liquid rocket boosters, it is most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the heaviest of the Long March 3 rocket family, and is mainly used to place communications satellites into geosynchronous orbit
s. At the time of its introduction, it was the second most capable expendable launch system in the world, only after the Russian Proton. An enhanced version, the Long March 3B/E was developed to increase GTO capacity and lift heavier GEO communications satellites.
The development of the Long March 3B was started in 1986 on the basis of the prior technology of Long March
launch vehicles to meet the demand of international GEO communications satellite market, especially for high power and heavy communications satellites. During its maiden flight on 14 February 1996, the rocket suffered a guidance failure two seconds into the flight and pitched over, crashing into a nearby village 22 seconds after launch. The Intelsat 708
satellite was lost and as many as 100 villagers were killed. Following its maiden flight, the next ten launches of Long March 3B and 3B/E rockets were successful. In 2009, a Long March 3B partially failed during the launch due to a third stage anomaly which resulted in Palapa-D
reaching a lower than planned orbit. However, the satellite was able to maneuver itself into the planned orbit.
, the first Africa
n geosynchronous
communications satellite
. It was also used for launching Venesat-1
in 2008. In 2011, it successfully launched the Pakistani communication satellite Paksat-1R.
, was developed in the mid-1990s to bridge the gap in payload capacity between the Long March 3B and 3A
. It is almost identical to the Long March 3B but with two boosters instead of four, which results in a reduced GTO payload capacity of 3800 kilograms (8,377.6 lb). Its first launch was on 25 April 2008.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
al carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A three-stage rocket with four strap-on liquid rocket boosters, it is most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the heaviest of the Long March 3 rocket family, and is mainly used to place communications satellites into geosynchronous orbit
Geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period that matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period...
s. At the time of its introduction, it was the second most capable expendable launch system in the world, only after the Russian Proton. An enhanced version, the Long March 3B/E was developed to increase GTO capacity and lift heavier GEO communications satellites.
History
Long March rocket
A Long March rocket or Chang Zheng rocket as in Chinese pinyin is any rocket in a family of expendable launch systems operated by the People's Republic of China. Development and design falls under the auspices of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology...
launch vehicles to meet the demand of international GEO communications satellite market, especially for high power and heavy communications satellites. During its maiden flight on 14 February 1996, the rocket suffered a guidance failure two seconds into the flight and pitched over, crashing into a nearby village 22 seconds after launch. The Intelsat 708
Intelsat 708
Intelsat 708 was a telecommunications satellite built by the American company Space Systems/Loral intended to be launched into a geostationary orbit and operated by Intelsat...
satellite was lost and as many as 100 villagers were killed. Following its maiden flight, the next ten launches of Long March 3B and 3B/E rockets were successful. In 2009, a Long March 3B partially failed during the launch due to a third stage anomaly which resulted in Palapa-D
Palapa-D
Palapa-D, also known as Palapa D1, is an Indonesian geostationary communications satellite which is operated by Indosat. It was built by Thales Alenia Space, based on the Spacebus-4000B3 satellite bus, and carries thirty five G/H band and five J band transponders...
reaching a lower than planned orbit. However, the satellite was able to maneuver itself into the planned orbit.
Long March 3B
The Long March 3B is the most powerful launch vehicle in Long March fleet and is based on the Long March 3A as its core stage with four liquid boosters strapped on the first stage. Its LEO capacity is 12000 kilograms (26,455.5 lb) and GTO capacity is 5100 kilograms (11,243.6 lb). It has been launched nine times so far.Long March 3B/E
The Long March 3B/E is an enhanced Long March 3B, which features an enlarged first stage and boosters, which increase its GTO payload capacity to 5500 kilograms (12,125.4 lb). Its maiden flight was on 13 May 2007, when it successfully launched NigComSat-1NigComSat-1
NigComSat-1 was a Nigerian communication satellite. The initial contract to build the satellite was signed in 2004. It became the first African geosynchronous communication satellite, when it was launched at 16:01 GMT on 13 May 2007, aboard a Chinese Long March 3B carrier rocket, from the Xichang...
, the first Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n geosynchronous
Geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period that matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period...
communications satellite
Communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
. It was also used for launching Venesat-1
Venesat-1
Venesat-1, also known as Simón Bolívar, is the first Venezuelan satellite. It was designed, built, launched, controlled and monitored by the CGWIC subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a communications satellite, which will be operated from a geosynchronous orbit...
in 2008. In 2011, it successfully launched the Pakistani communication satellite Paksat-1R.
Long March 3C
A modified version of the Long March 3B, the Long March 3CLong March 3C
The Long March 3C , also known as the Chang Zheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. A 3-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and...
, was developed in the mid-1990s to bridge the gap in payload capacity between the Long March 3B and 3A
Long March 3A
The Long March 3A , also known as the Chang Zheng 3A, CZ-3A and LM-3A, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is a 3-stage rocket, and is usually used to place communications satellites and Beidou navigation satellites into geosynchronous transfer orbits.It has formed the basis of the Long March...
. It is almost identical to the Long March 3B but with two boosters instead of four, which results in a reduced GTO payload capacity of 3800 kilograms (8,377.6 lb). Its first launch was on 25 April 2008.
External links
- LM-3B User's Manual GlobalSecurity.org - Long March Launch Vehicle User's Manual
- Long March-3B（LM-3B） China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology - LM-3B product page