ChangZheng 2C (Long March 2C) Space Launch Vehicle

Last updated: 20 May 2007

1st Space Academy (now China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, CALT) began to develop the CZ-2 launch vehicle to support China’s FSW recoverable satellite programme in 1970, with the development team led by Tu Shou'e. Based on the DF-5 (CSS-4) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), The CZ-2C is a launch vehicle with two liquid-propellant stages, while the improved CZ-2C/SD also has a smart dispenser as its third stage. The vehicle can be launched from either Jiuquan or Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre.

The CZ-2 was launched for the first time on 5 November 1974, carrying China’s first FSW experimental recoverable satellite (codenamed FSW-0 by Western intelligence). Due to a failure of the cable carrying pitch rate gyro signal, the launch vehicle lost control and was self-destructed in the midair. This variant of the CZ-2 has never flown again since then.

After some redesign work, the modified CZ-2C made its first flight successfully a year later on 26 November 1975, successfully sending a FSW experimental satellite (FSW-0 No.1) into orbit. Between 7 December 1975 and 8 October 1993, the CZ-2C carried out a total of fourteen LEO flight missions, with a 100% successful rate. The huge success of the CZ-2C has made itself the basis on which all subsequent ChangZheng family space vehicles were developed.

In order to meet the dual launch requirement for the Motorola Iridium mobile satellite telecommunication network, the CALT developed the CZ-2C/SD, which is a CZ-2C with a newly designed upper stage, the "Smart Dispenser" (SD) for dual satellites launch. Other difference between CZ-2C/SD and its prototype are: a modified fairing with a diameter of 3.35m; improved second stage fuel and oxidizer tanks; and second stage engines with higher expansion ratio nozzles.

Iridium was the anchor customer for the CZ-2C/SD, with two experimental dummy payloads launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre on 1 September 1997, and twelve operational satellites from December 1997 to October 1999. Again all launches were fully successful, another example of the outstanding reliability of the CZ-2C. The CZ-2C/SD has later been renamed as CZ-2C/CTS.

The CZ-2C's launch capability for LEO mission is 3,366kg. LM-2C/SD's capability for Iridium mission is 1,456kg. The fairing static envelope is 3m. The LM-2C/SD, with the successful Iridium program experiences, is capable of launching multiple satellites into different LEOs.

The CZ-2 carries UDMH/N2O4 in its first- and second-stage. The first stage uses a YF-6 motor consisting of four 75,000kg-thrust YF-22 thrust chambers motors with swinging nozzles. The second-stage uses a YF-24 rocket motor consisting of one 75,000kg-thrust YF20-1 main motor with fixed nozzles, and a YF21-1 swivelling venire motor with four chambers motors (4,700kg-thrust in total).

The "Smart Dispenser" is a three-axis stabilised upper stage using a solid rocket kick motor for insertion of the Iridium satellites into a 780km circular orbit. The solid rocket motor consists one 742kN thrust main motor and four 74.1kN swivelling venire motors. Each CZ-2C/SD had the capacity of delivering two Iridium system satellites.

Specifications

Gallery

See Also

• DF-5 (CSS-4) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

Reference

1. LM-2C/CTS Launch Vehicle, China Great Wall Industry Corporation Official Website