Long March 2C

Long March 2C

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	79
Success(es)	77
Failure(s)	1
Partial failure(s)	1
First flight	9 September 1982
Last flight	23 October 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
[edit on Wikidata]

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]

On 18 August 2011, a Long March 2C rocket failed during the launch of the Shijian 11-04 satellite. During the powered flight phase of the second stage, the connecting mechanism between vernier engine no.3 and the servo-control mechanism of the second stage failed, which led to the loss of attitude control on the second stage.^[11]

• "LM-2C USER'S MANUAL". CALT. 1999. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016.
• Gunter Dirk Krebs. "CZ-2 (Chang Zheng-2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 9 August 2015.