Long March 3C

	Rendering of Long March 3C
Function	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	CALT
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	3C: 54.8 m (180 ft) ; 3C/E: 55.64 m (182.5 ft) ;
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass	345,000 kg (761,000 lb)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	3C: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb) ; 3C/E: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb)
Payload to GTO
Mass	3C: 3,800 kg (8,400 lb) ; 3C/E: 3,900 kg (8,600 lb)
Payload to HCO
Mass	2,400 kg (5,300 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Long March
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	XSLC, LA-2 and LA-3
Total launches	18
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. boosters	2
Height	15.33 m (50.3 ft)
Diameter	2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Propellant mass	37,700 kg (83,100 lb)
Powered by	1 YF-25
Maximum thrust	740.4 kN (166,400 lbf)
Specific impulse	2,556.2 m/s (8,386 ft/s)
Burn time	127 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
Boosters (3C/E)
No. boosters	2
Height	16.1 m (53 ft)
Diameter	2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Propellant mass	41,100 kg (90,600 lb)
Powered by	1 YF-25
Maximum thrust	740.4 kN (166,400 lbf)
Specific impulse	2,556.2 m/s (8,386 ft/s)
Burn time	140 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
First stage (3C)
Height	23.27 m (76.3 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass	171,800 kg (378,800 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)
Burn time	145 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
First stage (3C/E)
Height	24.76 m (81.2 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass	186,200 kg (410,500 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)
Burn time	158 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
Second stage
Height	12.92 m (42.4 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass	49,400 kg (108,900 lb)
Powered by	1 YF-24E (YF-22E (Main); 4 x YF-23C (Vernier))
Maximum thrust	742 kN (167,000 lbf) (Main); 47.1 kN (10,600 lbf) (Vernier)
Specific impulse	2,922.57 m/s (9,588.5 ft/s) (Main); 2,910.5 m/s (9,549 ft/s) (Vernier)
Burn time	185 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
Third stage
Height	12.38 m (40.6 ft)
Diameter	3.0 m (9.8 ft)
Propellant mass	18,200 kg (40,100 lb)
Powered by	2 × YF-75
Maximum thrust	167.17 kN (37,580 lbf)
Specific impulse	4,295 m/s (14,090 ft/s)
Burn time	487 seconds
Propellant	LH2 / LOX
Fourth stage (optional) – YZ-1
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
	[edit on Wikidata]

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.

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.^[6] On 30 March 2015, the Yuanzheng upper stage was used on top of a Long March 3C launch vehicle for the first time.^[7]

List of 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

^ ^a ^b Wade, Mark. "CZ-3C". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
^ ^a ^b "Long March 3C/E | Tianlian 1D". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ "Long March 3C | Chang'e 2". Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
^ ^a ^b "LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011" (PDF). China Great Wall Industries Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
^ ^a ^b Gunter Krebs. "CZ-3C (Chang Zheng-3C)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
^ Barbosa, Rui C. (23 October 2014). "China launches lunar sample return test mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
^ Barbosa, Rui C. (30 March 2015). "Long March 3C in secretive launch with new Upper Stage". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.

This rocketry article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[EA-1] Wade, Mark. "CZ-3C". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 1 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2008.

[Long_March_3C/E_Tianlian_1D-2] "Long March 3C/E | Tianlian 1D". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[3] "Long March 3C | Chang'e 2". Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.

[CGWIC_User_Manual-4] "LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011" (PDF). China Great Wall Industries Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2015.

[GSP-5] Gunter Krebs. "CZ-3C (Chang Zheng-3C)". Gunter's Space Page. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2008.

[6] Barbosa, Rui C. (23 October 2014). "China launches lunar sample return test mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2015.

[7] Barbosa, Rui C. (30 March 2015). "Long March 3C in secretive launch with new Upper Stage". NASASpaceFlight.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Long March (rocket family)
Rockets	Feng Bao 1 Long March 1 1D Long March 2 2A 2C 2D 2E 2F Long March 3 3A 3B 3B/E 3C Long March 4 4A 4B 4C Long March 5 5B Long March 6 6A 6C Long March 7 7A Long March 8 8A Long March 9 Long March 10 Long March 11 11H Long March 12
Launch sites	Jiuquan Taiyuan Wenchang Commercial Xichang
Manufacturers	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
Designers	Wang Xiji
List of Long March launches

v t e Orbital launch systems
List of orbital launch systems Comparison of orbital launch systems
Current	Angara 1.2 A5 Ariane 6 Atlas V Ceres 1 1S Chollima-1 Electron Falcon 9 Block 5 Falcon Heavy Firefly Alpha Gravity-1 GSLV H-IIA H3 Hyperbola-1 Jielong 1 3 KAIROS^† Kaituozhe 2 Kinetica 1 Kuaizhou 1 1A 11 Long March 2C 2D 2F 3A 3B/E 3C 4B 4C 5 5B 6 6A 7 7A 8 11 11H 12 LVM3 Minotaur I IV V C Nuri OS-M1^† Pegasus XL Proton-M PSLV Qaem 100 Qased Shavit 2 Simorgh SLS Block 1 Soyuz-2 2.1a / STA 2.1b / STB 2-1v SSLV Starship Tianlong-2 Unha Vega C Vulcan Centaur Zhuque 2
In development	Antares 330 Bloostar Cyclone-4M Deca Epsilon S Eris Gravity-2 Hyperbola-2 Irtysh Kuaizhou 21 31 Long March 9 10 Miura 5 MLV Neutron New Glenn New Line 1 NGLV Nova OS-M 2 4 Orbex Prime Pallas-1 Red Dwarf SLS Block 1B Block 2 Soyuz-7 Terran R Tianlong-3 VLM Vega E Zero Zhuque 3 Zuljanah
Retired	Antares 110 120 130^† 230 230+ Ariane 1 2 3 4 5 ASLV Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III LV-3B SLV-3 Able^† Agena Centaur Black Arrow Conestoga^† Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 II III IV IV Heavy Diamant Dnepr Energia Epsilon Europa I^† II^† Falcon 1 Falcon 9 v1.0 v1.1 v1.2 "Full Thrust" Feng Bao 1 GSLV Mk I H-I H-II H-IIB Juno I Juno II Kaituozhe-1 Kosmos original 1 2/2I 3 3M Lambda 4S LauncherOne Long March 1 1D^† 2A 2E 3 3B 4A Mu 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII V N1^† N-I N-II Naro-1 Paektusan^† Pilot-2^† R-7 Luna Molniya M L Polyot Soyuz original FG L M U U2 Soyuz/Vostok Sputnik Voskhod Vostok L K 2 2M R-29 Shtil' Volna^† Rocket 3 RS1^† Safir 1 1A 1B Saturn I IB V Scout X-1 Blue Scout II^† X-2^† X-2M X-3 X-3M X-4 X-2B^† B A B-1 D-1 A-1 E-1 F-1 G-1 Shavit original 1 SLV Space Shuttle SPARK^† Sparta SS-520 Start-1 Terran 1^† Thor Able Ablestar 1 2 Agena A B D Burner 1 2 Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena SLV-2G SLV-2H Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Tsyklon R-36-O original 2 3 Universal Rocket UR-500 Proton Proton-K Rokot Strela Vanguard Vega original VLS-1^† Zenit 2 2M 2FG 3SL 3SLB 3F Zhuque 1^†
Classes	Sounding rocket Small-lift launch vehicle Medium-lift launch vehicle Heavy-lift launch vehicle Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
This Template lists historical, current, and future space rockets that at least once attempted (but not necessarily succeeded in) an orbital launch or that are planned to attempt such a launch in the future Symbol ^† indicates past or current rockets that attempted orbital launches but never succeeded (never did or has yet to perform a successful orbital launch)

v t e Chinese Lunar Exploration Program
China National Space Administration Chinese space program
Missions	Chang'e 1 (Oct 2007) Chang'e 2 (Oct 2010) Chang'e 3 (Dec 2013) Yutu rover Chang'e 5-T1 (Oct 2014) Queqiao (relay satellite, May 2018) Chang'e 4 (Dec 2018) Yutu-2 rover Chang'e 5 (Nov 2020) Queqiao 2 (relay satellite, Mar 2024) Tiandu 1 and 2 Chang'e 6 (May 2024) Chang'e 7 (2026) Chang'e 8 (2028)
Launch vehicles	Long March 3A Long March 3B Long March 3C Long March 5 Long March 8
Facilities	Xichang Satellite Launch Center Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site
People	Zhang Qingwei Ouyang Ziyuan Ma Xingrui Ye Peijian
Category Commons