Long March 8
Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology(CALT) |
Country of origin | China |
Size | |
Height | |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Mass | |
Stages | 2 |
Capacity | |
Payload toSSO700 km | |
Mass | |
Payload toLEO | |
Mass | 8,100 kg (17,900 lb) |
Payload toGTO | |
Mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) |
Payload toTLI | |
Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Comparable | Soyuz-2 Antares Falcon 9(RTLS reusable) Atlas V 501 Ariane 62 H3-30 |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | WenchangLC-2 Wenchang CommercialLC-1 |
Total launches | 3 |
Success(es) | 3 |
First flight | 22 December 2020 |
Last flight | 20 March 2024 |
Boosters (Standard) – K2 booster | |
No. boosters | 2 or 0 |
Height | 26.903 m (88.26 ft) |
Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
Powered by | 1YF-100 |
Maximum thrust | Sea level:1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) Vacuum:1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) |
Total thrust | Sea level:4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) Vacuum:5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | Sea level:300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum:335 s (3.29 km/s) |
Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
First stage – K3 core module | |
Height | 25.083 m (82.29 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Powered by | 2YF-100 |
Maximum thrust | Sea level:2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) Vacuum:2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | Sea level:300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum:335 s (3.29 km/s) |
Propellant | RP-1/LOX |
Second stage (CZ-8) | |
Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
Diameter | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
Powered by | 2YF-75 |
Maximum thrust | 167.17 kN (37,580 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 438 s (4.30 km/s) |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
Second stage (CZ-8A) | |
Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Powered by | 2YF-75H |
Maximum thrust | 200 kN (45,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 442.6 s (4.340 km/s) |
Propellant | LH2/LOX |
Long March 8(Chinese:Trường chinh số 8 tên lửa vận chuyển) is an orbitallaunch vehicledeveloped by theChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technologyto launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitudeSun-synchronous orbit(SSO).[4]The rocket is based on theLong March 7with its first stage and two boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of theLong March 3A/3B/3Cand7Aas its second stage. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.[1]
A planned future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will bepartially reusableby featuring acombined booster recoveryof the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.[5]
The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from theWenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.[6]
CZ-8A variant[edit]
An upgraded version of the Long March 8, theLong March 8A(Chinese:Trường chinh số 8 giáp tên lửa vận chuyển), will debut in 2024 with increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitudesun-synchronous orbit.It implements a larger 3.35 meters diameter liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen second stage, coupled with 2 upgraded version of theYF-75Dengines (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds. The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.
Launch statistics[edit]
- Failure
- Partial failure
- Success
- Planned
List of launches[edit]
S.no | Flight number | Date (UTC) |
Variant | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Y1 | 22 December 2020 04:37[6][7] |
Standard | Wenchang,LC-2 | Xinjishu Yanzheng 7(XJY-7) Haisi-1 Tianqi Xingzuo 08(Ping'an-1) Yuanguang-1 ET-SMART-RSS(Zhi xing -1A) |
SSO | Success |
2 | Y2 | 27 February 2022 03:06[8] |
Core only[8] | Wenchang,LC-2 | Dayun (Xingshidai-17) Hainan-101, 02 Jilin-1Gaofen-03D 10–18 Jilin-1Mofang-02A 01 Qiming xing -1 Taijing-3 01 Taijing-4 01 Tianxian-1 (Chaohu-1) Chuang xing Leishen Wenchang-1 01, 02 XD-1 Tianqi-19 |
SSO | Success |
3 | Y3 | 20 March 2024 00:31[9] |
Standard | Wenchang,LC-2 | Queqiao-2 Tiandu-1 Tiandu-2 |
Selenocentric | Success |
4 | Y4 | June 2024[10] | Standard | Wenchang,LC-2 | TBA | LEO | Planned |
5 | Y1 | December 2024[11] | Standard | Wenchang,LC-1 | TBA | LEO | Planned |
See also[edit]
- Long March 9
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
- Expendable launch system
- Lists of rockets
References[edit]
- ^abcd"Trường chinh số 8 dao nhị tên lửa vận chuyển phi hành thí nghiệm lấy được viên mãn thành công".people.cn(in Chinese (China)). 27 February 2022.Retrieved18 March2023.
- ^abZhengyu, Song; Lidong, Liu; Xiaofei, Chen; Shanshu, Xu; Yitian, Wu (April 2023)."Development and Key Technologies of Long March 8 Family: China's Next-generation Medium-lift Launchers".Journal of Astronautics.44(4): 476–485.doi:10.3873/j.issn.1000-1328.2023.04.002.Retrieved7 June2024.
- ^"Trường chinh số 8 cải tiến hình hỏa tiễn nhị tử cấp ký thông dụng hydro oxy mạt cấp toàn hệ thống thử xe thành công! Trường chinh số 8 cải tiến hình hỏa tiễn năm nay đầu phi (All-Systems testing of upgraded Long March 8 second stage/universal LH2/LOX upper stage a success! Upgraded Long March 8 will first launch this year)"(in Chinese).CALT.Retrieved7 June2024.
- ^Giả bình phàm (28 December 2020)."Trường chinh số 8 đầu phi thành công Trung Quốc tên lửa vận chuyển gia tộc thêm nữa thành viên mới"(in Simplified Chinese). Tân Hoa Xã.Retrieved27 February2022.
- ^Jones, Andrew (30 April 2018)."China to test rocket reusability with planned Long March 8 launcher".SpaceNews.Retrieved6 December2020.
- ^abJones, Andrew (22 December 2020)."China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport".SpaceNews.Retrieved22 December2020.
- ^"Trường chinh số 8 tên lửa vận chuyển lần đầu phi hành thí nghiệm lấy được viên mãn thành công"[First Long March 8 rocket test flight was a complete success].CNSA(in Chinese). 22 December 2020.Retrieved22 December2020.
- ^abJones, Andrew (27 February 2022)."China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare".SpaceNews.Retrieved1 March2022.
- ^"China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications".Xinhua.20 March 2024.Retrieved21 March2024.
- ^"China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications".Xinhua.20 March 2024.Retrieved21 March2024.
- ^"China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications".Xinhua.20 March 2024.Retrieved21 March2024.