Long March 6

The Long March 6 (Chinese: 长征六号运载火箭) or Chang Zheng 6 as in pinyin, abbreviated LM 6 for export or CZ 6 within China, is a Chinese liquid-fuelled launch vehicle of the Long March family, which was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) [7] and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The rocket was developed in the 2000s, and made its maiden flight in 2015.[8] As one of the new generation rocket family, the Long March 6 was designed to be a light capacity, "high-speed response" rocket, complementing the heavy lift Long March 5 and the mid-heavy lift Long March 7 rocket families. It is capable of placing at least 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of payload into a Sun-synchronous orbit.[9][8] The first stage of the Long March 6 was derived from the booster rockets being developed for the Long March 5 rocket. It is powered by a YF-100 engine, which generates 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) of thrust from burning kerosene and LOX as rocket fuel and oxidiser.[8] This was the first flight of the new engine design.[3]

Long March 6
Maiden flight of Long March 6 rocket
FunctionSmall launch vehicle
ManufacturerShanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology[1]
Country of originChina
Size
Height29 m (95 ft)
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass103,000 kg (227,000 lb)
Stages3 [2]
Capacity
Payload to 700 km (430 mi) SSO
Mass1,080 kg (2,380 lb)
Associated rockets
FamilyLong March
ComparableMinotaur-C,
PSLV-CA
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesTaiyuan, LA-16
Total launches11
Success(es)11
First flight19 September 2015 [3]
Last flight20 June 2023
First stage
Diameter3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Propellant mass61,000 kg (134,000 lb) to 76,000 kg (168,000 lb)
Powered by1 YF-100
Maximum thrust1,188 kN (267,000 lbf) [4]
Specific impulse300 seconds (sea level)
335 seconds (vacuum) [5]
PropellantRP-1/LOX
Second stage
Diameter2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Propellant mass15,000 kg (33,000 lb)
Powered by1 YF-115
Maximum thrust180 kN (40,000 lbf) [4]
Specific impulse341.5 seconds (vacuum) [6]
PropellantRP-1/LOX
Third stage
Diameter2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Powered by1
Maximum thrust6.5 kN (1,500 lbf) [4]
Specific impulse306.9 seconds
PropellantN2O4 / UDMH[4]

An enlarged variant, the Long March 6A, which has four strap-on solid boosters, an elongated stage one, a new stage two with the same diameter as the first stage, and a payload capacity of at least 4000 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit, made its maiden flight on 29 March 2022.[10]

Launch statistics

1
2
3
4
2015
2020
  •   Failure
  •   Partial failure
  •   Success
  •   Planned

List of launches

Flight number Serial number Date (UTC) Launch site Payload Orbit Result
1 Y1 19 September 2015
23:01
Taiyuan, LA-16 ZDPS-2A, ZDPS-2B
NS-2
ZJ-1, ZJ-2
Tiantuo 3
NUDT-Phone-Sat
Xingchen 1/2/3/4
LilacSat 2
XY-2
DCBB
Xiwang-2A/2B/2C/2E/2F
SSO Success[8]
2 Y2 21 November 2017
04:50
Taiyuan, LA-16 Jilin 1-04/05/06 SSO Success
3 Y4 13 November 2019
06:35
Taiyuan, LA-16 Ningxia-1 01
Ningxia-1 02
Ningxia-1 03
Ningxia-1 04
Ningxia-1 05
LEO Success
4 Y3 6 November 2020
03:19
Taiyuan, LA-16 ÑuSat 9-18 (10 satellites) SSO Success
5 Y5 27 April 2021
03:20
Taiyuan, LA-16 Qilu-1
Qilu-4
Foshan-1
Zhongan Guotong-1
Tianqi-9
Origin Space NEO-1
Tai King II 01
Golden Bauhinia-1 01
Golden Bauhinia-1 02
SSO Success
6 Y6 9 July 2021
11:59
Taiyuan, LA-16 Zhuzhou-1 01
Zhuzhou-1 02
Zhuzhou-1 03
Zhuzhou-1 04
Zhuzhou-1 05
LEO Success
7 Y7 4 August 2021
11:01
Taiyuan, LA-16 KL-Beta A
KL-Beta B
Polar Success
8 Y8 5 November 2021
02:19
Taiyuan, LA-16 Guangmu-1 (CASEarth) SSO Success
9 Y10 10 August 2022
04:50
Taiyuan, LA-16 Jilin-1 GF-03D09, 35-43
Yunyao-1 04–08
Tianjin Binghai-1
SSO Success
10 Y9 26 September 2022
23:50
Taiyuan, LA-16 Shiyan 16A
Shiyan 16B
Shiyan 17
SSO Success
11 Y12 20 June 2023
03:18
Taiyuan, LA-16 Shiyan 25 SSO Success
Long March 6 model with launch pad umbilical arm

See also

References

  1. "China conducts debut launch of Long March 6". NASASpaceflight. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  2. "突破运力"下限"的长征6号" [Advances in Light Capacity Long March 6] (in Chinese). Tencent Military Channel. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  3. The Long March 6 launched a 20-star in Taiyuan to create the best in Asia Sept 2015
  4. ZHANG Wei-dong, WANG Dong-bao (2016). "New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development". Aerospace Shanghai.
  5. "Chinese YF-100 (Russian RD-120) to Power CZ-5". SPACEPAC, The Space Public Affairs Committee. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  6. "中国新一代液氧煤油发动机3:YF100/115主要特性 - 深空网". www.shenkong.net (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  7. "Development of China's new "Changzheng 6" carrier rocket commences". People's Daily Online. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  8. "China conducts debut launch of Long March 6". 19 September 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  9. "Long March 6 - Spaceflight101". Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  10. "CZ-6 (Chang Zheng-6)". space.skyrocket.de. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
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