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

Last updated: 14 May 2007

The ChangZheng-2E (CZ-2E, or Long March-2E) was designed and developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) from the CZ-2C by adding four liquid-propellant strap-on boosters to achieve a higher payload capacity. The CZ-2E launch vehicle was specially tailored for the commercial space launch market, capable of delivering Western-made satellites to the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. The CZ-2E had a poor launch success record and was subsequently replaced by the CZ-3B for similar missions. Based on the CZ-2E, CALT also developed the CZ-2F launch vehicle for China’s manned space flight missions. A further development variant CZ-2E(A) was proposed but did not enter production.

The CZ-2E development began in late 1988 and the launch vehicle was prompted to the international commercial space launch market in 1990. The first launch of the CZ-2E on 16 July 1990 successfully reached the desired LEO parking orbit with a small (50 kg) science experimental satellite Badr for Pakistan and an HS-601 communication satellite mock-up.

In the next mission to carry the Australian Optus B1 satellite on 22 March 1992, two of the four strap-on stages failed when taking-off. The launch vehicle’s emergency control system shut down the main engine and halted the launch on the pad. This failure also caused wide embarrassment as the launch was broadcasted live on Chinese national TV for the first time. After examinations of the fault, the satellite was sent into orbit by a second CZ-2E launch vehicle on 13 August 1992.

The next flight on 21 December 1992 failed when a malfunction of the payload or fairing occurred less than one minute into the ascent. Despite the violent nature of the failure, which left a large portion of the payload scattered down range, the CZ-2E second stage continued to function and reached a nominal LEO parking orbit. The launch vehicle flew again successfully two years later on 27 August 1994, sending the Optus B3 into orbit successfully.

Another failure took place on 6 January 1995, when a CZ-2E carrying an Apstar 2 communications satellite was destroyed approximately 50 seconds after launch due to wind shear. It was estimated that this accident was due to the same reason which caused the similar failure in December 1992. After a series of investigations by the Chinese scientists and staffs of the Hughes Telecom & Space Co, (the manufacturer of the satellites in both accidents), several modifications were made to improve the integration between the launch vehicle and satellites.

Another CZ-2E fitted with a solid perigee kick motor (EPKM) was launched successfully on 28 November 1995, carrying the Lockheed Martin communications satellite Asiasat 2 into the geostationary orbit to provide services for the Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. This was followed by another successful launch a month later, which sent U.S. TV-broadcast satellite Echostar 1 into orbit using CZ-2E/EPKM.

The Chinese commercial satellite launch business had been severely damaged by the high failure rate of the CZ-2E launches. Apart from the technical problems in the vehicle’s design, this was also partly due to the sanctions in the 1990s by the U.S. government and congress that banned American satellite manufacturers such as Hughes, Loral, and Lockheed Martin from providing detailed information on their satellite technology to the Chinese carrier. The later fact has caused the poor integration between the Chinese launch vehicle and U.S.-made satellites. As a result, high insurance premium for the launches (27% compared to the then-current industry average of 17%~20%) was charged and a number of international customers had cancelled their GEO launch contracts with the Chinese carrier.

The CZ-2E has not flew since its last flight in December 1995, but the Chinese space industry restored the market confidence by a series of successful commercial launches since 1997 using the more capable CZ-3B.

The booster of CZ-2E consists of a 2-stage core vehicle with four strap-on stages, all employing UDMH/N2O4 (nitrogen tetroxide). Four 75,500kg-thrust YF5-1 chambers motors with swinging nozzles combine to make the YF6-2 engine that powers the first stage of the core vehicle. The second stage of the core vehicle has a YF20-1 rocket motor consisting of one 75,600kg-thrust main motor with fixed nozzles, a YF21-1 swivelling venire motor with four chambers motors (4,813kg-thrust in total), and larger propellant tanks. The strap-on stages each use a single 75,500kg-thrust YF5-1 engine with a fixed nozzle.

Specifications

First launch: 16 July 1990
Last launch: 28 December 1995
Service status: Retired
Overall length: 49.70m
Core vehicle diameter: 3.35m
Strap-on stage diameter: 2.25m
Fairing diameter: 4.20m
Launch weight: 460 tonnes
Lift-off thrust: N/A
Payload: 9,500kg (LEO mission); 3,500kg (GTO mission, with EPKM)

Launch Records

* Mission failed

Gallery