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Chang Zheng 3B

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CZ-3B

AKA: Chang Zheng-3B;CZ-3B;Long March 3B. Status: Active. First Launch: 1996-02-14. Last Launch: 2019-01-10. Number: 29 . Payload: 11,200 kg (24,600 lb). Thrust: 2,980.00 kN (669,930 lbf). Gross mass: 425,800 kg (938,700 lb). Height: 54.80 m (179.70 ft). Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Apogee: 200 km (120 mi).

12 stage vehicle consisting of 4 x CZ-3BE Booster + 1 x CZ-3BE Stage 1 + 1 x CZ-3B Stage 2 + 1 x CZ-3A Stage 3 + 4 x CZ-3BE Booster + 1 x CZ-3BE Stage 1 + 1 x CZ-3B Stage 2 + 1 x CZ-3A Stage 3 + 4 x CZ-3BE Booster + 1 x CZ-3BE Stage 1 + 1 x CZ-3B Stage 2

LEO Payload: 11,200 kg (24,600 lb) to a 200 km orbit at 28.50 degrees. Payload: 5,100 kg (11,200 lb) to a GTO. Launch Price $: 70.000 million in 1999 dollars.

Stage Data - CZ-3B

• Stage 0. 4 x CZ-2E-0. Gross Mass: 41,000 kg (90,000 lb). Empty Mass: 3,200 kg (7,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 816.285 kN (183,508 lbf). Isp: 291 sec. Burn time: 128 sec. Isp(sl): 261 sec. Diameter: 2.25 m (7.38 ft). Span: 2.26 m (7.41 ft). Length: 15.33 m (50.29 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: YF-20B. Other designations: LB-40. Status: In Production.

• Stage 1. 1 x CZ-3A-1. Gross Mass: 179,000 kg (394,000 lb). Empty Mass: 9,000 kg (19,800 lb). Thrust (vac): 3,265.143 kN (734,033 lbf). Isp: 289 sec. Burn time: 155 sec. Isp(sl): 259 sec. Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Span: 7.00 m (22.90 ft). Length: 23.08 m (75.72 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 4. Engine: YF-20B. Other designations: L-180. Status: In Production.

• Stage 2. 1 x CZ-2C/SD-2. Gross Mass: 55,000 kg (121,000 lb). Empty Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 761.900 kN (171,282 lbf). Isp: 298 sec. Burn time: 190 sec. Isp(sl): 270 sec. Diameter: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Span: 3.35 m (10.99 ft). Length: 10.00 m (32.00 ft). Propellants: N2O4/UDMH. No Engines: 1. Engine: YF-22A/23A. Other designations: L-35. Status: In Production. Comments: Stretched version of CZ-2C second stage. Empty mass estimated.

• Stage 3. 1 x CZ-3A-3. Gross Mass: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). Empty Mass: 2,800 kg (6,100 lb). Thrust (vac): 156.000 kN (35,070 lbf). Isp: 440 sec. Burn time: 470 sec. Diameter: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Span: 3.00 m (9.80 ft). Length: 12.38 m (40.60 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 2. Engine: YF-75. Other designations: H-18. Status: In Production.

Photo Gallery

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CZ-3B failure

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LM-3B Cutaway Cutaway view of LM-3B launch vehicle.

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• Intelsat 708 - . Mass: 4,180 kg (9,210 lb). Nation: International. Agency: PRC. Program: Intelsat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: FS-1300.

  First attempted launch of a new version in the Long March family. Began to experience an anomaly in attitude about 2 seconds after launch, pitching down and yawing to the right. It augured in nose down at T+22 seconds and exploded violently, utterly destroying the launcher and its payload. The Chief-Designer of the launch vehicle organised an analysis team on the same day of the accident. Interpretation and analysis of the telemetered data indicated that the crash was caused by a change in the inertial reference. The explosion killed six and injured 57. Two of the killed were senior engineers with CASC.

• Agila 2 - . Payload: Mabuhay. Mass: 2,820 kg (6,210 lb). Nation: Philippines. Agency: MPSC. Manufacturer: Palo Alto. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: FS-1300. USAF Sat Cat: 24901 . COSPAR: 1997-042A. Apogee: 35,803 km (22,246 mi). Perigee: 35,771 km (22,227 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.20 min. Geosynchronous. Stationed over 146.0E Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 146 deg E in 1997-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 145.99 deg E drifting at 0.009 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 145.98E drifting at 0.017W degrees per day..

• Apstar 2R - . Mass: 3,700 kg (8,100 lb). Nation: China. Agency: APT Satellite Company. Manufacturer: Palo Alto. Program: Apstar. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: FS-1300. USAF Sat Cat: 25010 . COSPAR: 1997-062A. Apogee: 35,798 km (22,243 mi). Perigee: 35,774 km (22,228 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Geosynchronous. Stationed over 76.5E Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 76 deg E in 1997-1999 As of 5 September 2001 located at 76.48 deg E drifting at 0.001 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 76.46E drifting at 0.002W degrees per day..

• Zhongwei 1 - . Payload: A2100A. Mass: 2,984 kg (6,578 lb). Nation: China. Agency: Chinasat. Manufacturer: Lockheed. Program: Chinastar. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: AS 2100. USAF Sat Cat: 25354 . COSPAR: 1998-033A. Apogee: 35,798 km (22,243 mi). Perigee: 35,777 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

  Also known as Chinastar 1; comsat to serve China, India, Korea and Southeast Asia with 18 C-band and 20 Ku-band transponders. Operated by the China Orient Telecommunications Satellite Company, part of the Chinese telecommunications ministry. Zhongwei 1 and the CZ-3B's final liquid hydrogen upper stage were placed in an initial supersynchronous 216 x 85,035 km x 24.4 deg transfer orbit. Geostationary at 87.6 degrees E. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 87 deg E in 1998-1999 As of 6 September 2001 located at 87.49 deg E drifting at 0.013 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 87.64E drifting at 0.010W degrees per day.

• Sinosat - . Payload: Spacebus 3000A. Mass: 2,820 kg (6,210 lb). Nation: China. Agency: Eurasspa. Manufacturer: Cannes. Program: Sinosat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 3000 . USAF Sat Cat: 25404 . COSPAR: 1998-044A. Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

  The CZ-3B's liquid hydrogen upper stage and the Sinosat were placed in a 609 x 35958 km x 19.0 deg geostationary transfer orbit at 09:45 GMT. The first two liquid apogee burns were carried out on July 19 and 21. Sinosat, an Alcatel Spacebus 3000, was built in Cannes and owned temporarily by EurasSpace, a joint venture between Daimler-Benz Aerospace and the China Aerospace Corporation. After on-orbit testing it was delivered to the Sino Satellite Communications Company of Shanghai for communications services in China. The satellite carried 24 C-band transponders and 14 Ku-band transponders which covered the entire Asia-Pacific region. With a design life span of 15 years, the satellite was to provide multiple data transfer services for China's financial and air transportation control systems, as well as the Shanghai Information Port project, Sinosat operated in geosynchronous orbit at 110.5 deg E in 1998-1999. As of 5 September 2001 located at 110.55 deg E drifting at 0.012 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 110.51E drifting at 0.001W degrees per day.

• Apstar 6 - . Payload: Apstar 5B / Spacebus 4000C2. Mass: 4,680 kg (10,310 lb). Nation: China. Agency: APT Satellite Company. Program: Apstar. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 4000. USAF Sat Cat: 28638 . COSPAR: 2005-012A. Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,778 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.0200 deg. Period: 1,436.09 min. Delayed from November, December 4, 2004. Ku and C band transponders. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 133.99E drifting at 0.013W degrees per day..

• Sinosat-2 - . Payload: Xinnuo 2. Mass: 5,100 kg (11,200 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 29516 . COSPAR: 2006-048A. Apogee: 35,911 km (22,314 mi). Perigee: 35,675 km (22,167 mi). Inclination: 0.0600 deg. Period: 1,436.44 min.

  First DH-4 heavy Chinese communication satellite with communications equipment provided by Alcatel Alenia. Mission failed when solar panels and antennae failed to deploy in geosynchronous orbit. This was a blow to China's prestige, since the satellite was an important part of the 2008 Beijing Olympics coverage plans. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 91.80E drifting at 0.093W degrees per day.

• Zhongxing 6B - . Payload: Chinasat 6B / Spacebus 4000C2. Mass: 4,600 kg (10,100 lb). Nation: China. Agency: ChinaSatCom. Manufacturer: Alenia. Program: Chinasat. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 4000. USAF Sat Cat: 31800 . COSPAR: 2007-031A. Apogee: 35,797 km (22,243 mi). Perigee: 35,775 km (22,229 mi). Inclination: 0.0200 deg. Period: 1,436.07 min. Direct broadcast satellite, capable of transmitting 300 television channels using 38 transponders. To be positioned at 115.5 deg E, beaming signals to China, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Planned mission life 15 years..

• Zhongxing 9 - . Payload: Chinasat 9 / Spacebus 4000C2. Mass: 5,054 kg (11,142 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Program: Chinasat. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 4000. USAF Sat Cat: 33051 . COSPAR: 2008-028A. Apogee: 35,804 km (22,247 mi). Perigee: 35,770 km (22,220 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Launched to support Olympic games; 22 J-band transponders; positioned at 92.2 deg E..

• Palapa D - . Payload: Spacebus 4000B3. Mass: 4,100 kg (9,000 lb). Nation: China. Agency: SISE. Program: Palapa. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: Spacebus 4000. USAF Sat Cat: 35812 . COSPAR: 2009-046A. Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Early third stage cutoff left spacecraft in sub-geostationary transfer orbit of 217 km x 21,138 km at 22.4 deg inclination. It used its on-board system to reach an operational orbit, albeit with reduced life due to the propellant consumption..

• Paksat 1R - . Mass: 5,120 kg (11,280 lb). Nation: Pakistan. Class: Communications. Type: Civilian communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 37779 . COSPAR: 2011-042A. Apogee: 35,793 km (22,240 mi). Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.00 min. Communications satellite to replace Paksat 1, the former Palapa C1..

• Zhongxing 1A - . Payload: Chinasat 1A / Feng Huo 2-1. Mass: 5,100 kg (11,200 lb). Nation: China. Program: Chinasat. Class: Communications. Type: Military communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 37804 . COSPAR: 2011-047A. Apogee: 35,794 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,781 km (22,233 mi). Inclination: 0.50 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min. Military communications satellite. First of the Feng Huo 2 series for secure digital data and voice tactical military communications..

• Beidou M1-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 18 / Beidou 3m. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40748 . COSPAR: 2015-037A. Apogee: 21,547 km (13,388 mi). Perigee: 21,509 km (13,365 mi). Inclination: 55.06 deg. Period: 773.24 min.

  Single launch of the first two of the third generation medium-orbit Beidou satellites. The CZ-3B launch vehicle deployed the YZ-1 upper stage in a 189 km x 18390 km x 55 deg transfer orbit. CZ-3B stage 3 coasted in a low parking orbit for only a minute or so before its second burn to the elliptical orbit. The YZ-1 then separated and made its first burn almost immediately at about 12:45 GMT, raising apogee to 22,000 km. The Beidou/YZ-1 stack then coasted to apogee and at about 16:10 GMT the YZ-1 made a second burn to circularize the orbit. The two payloads were quickly released in a 21,523 km x 22,193 km x 55 deg orbit. At about 16:20 GMT YZ-1 made a disposal burn to a 22,151 x 27,736 km x 55 deg orbit.

• Beidou M2-S - . Payload: Beidou DW 19 / Beidou 3m. Mass: 850 kg (1,870 lb). Nation: China. Class: Navigation. Type: Navigation satellite. Spacecraft: Beidou 3. USAF Sat Cat: 40749 . COSPAR: 2015-037B. Apogee: 21,547 km (13,388 mi). Perigee: 21,510 km (13,360 mi). Inclination: 55.06 deg. Period: 773.27 min.

• Tongxin Jisshu SW1 - . Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 40892 . COSPAR: 2015-046A. Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,777 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.0800 deg. Period: 1,436.05 min.

  Tongxing Jisshu Shiyan Weixing yi hao (Communications Engineering Test Satellite No. 1). Military satellite; speculation was that it was the first in a constellation of ballistic missile early warning satellites. The booster's upper stage reached a 208 km x 635 km x 27.1 deg parking orbit 10 minutes after launch and coasted to the equator, where a second burn at 16:01 GMT sent the stage and payload to a 195 km x 35,814 km x 27.1 deg geotransfer orbit.

• Apstar 9 - . Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 40982 . COSPAR: 2015-059A. Apogee: 35,763 km (22,222 mi). Perigee: 35,727 km (22,199 mi). Inclination: 0.0900 deg. Period: 1,433.98 min. Communications satellite for Hong Kong-based APT Satellite, with C- and Ku-band payloads..

• Zhongxing 2C - . Payload: Chinasat 2C / Shentong 2-2. Mass: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 41021 . COSPAR: 2015-063A. Apogee: 35,793 km (22,240 mi). Perigee: 35,780 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.55 deg. Period: 1,436.09 min. Second of the second generation of the Shentong series, operated by the Chinese Army to provide secure voice and data Ku-band communications to the ground forces..

• LaoSat 1 - . Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-3. USAF Sat Cat: 41034 . COSPAR: 2015-067A. Apogee: 41,778 km (25,959 mi). Perigee: 189 km (117 mi). Inclination: 18.40 deg.

  Chinese-built DFH-3B communications satellite for Laos. LaoSat-1 was owned by Lao Satellite Joint Venture Co, a collab between China APMT Co. and the Lao National Authority for Science and Tech. LaoSat-1 was placed in a 189 x 41778 km x 18.4 deg geotransfer orbit. Onboard liquid thruster raised orbit to GEO at 128.5 deg E

• Zhongxing 1C - . Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 41103 . COSPAR: 2015-073A. Apogee: 35,816 km (22,254 mi). Perigee: 177 km (109 mi). Inclination: 27.10 deg. The ZX-1C communications satellite was placed in geotransfer orbit. The satellite was thought to be the second Fenghuo-2 military communications satellite, joining ZX-1A launched in 2011..

• GaoFen 4 - . Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: Surveillance satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 41194 . COSPAR: 2015-083A. Apogee: 35,806 km (22,248 mi). Perigee: 205 km (127 mi). Inclination: 23.00 deg. High resolution imaging satellite launched into geotransfer orbit. GF-4 has a 50-metre-resolution imager..

• Belintersat-1 - . Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 41238 . COSPAR: 2016-001A. Apogee: 41,730 km (25,920 mi). Perigee: 193 km (119 mi). Inclination: 26.40 deg.

  first Belarussian communications satellite. The satellite was a Chinese-built DFH-4 with a mass of 5200 kg, and it rode a Chinese CZ-3B to geotransfer orbit. Belintersat was a state-sponsored private company and will provide services to Belarus and central Europe.

• Tiantong-1 01 xing - . Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 41725 . COSPAR: 2016-048A. Apogee: 35,903 km (22,309 mi). Perigee: 35,751 km (22,214 mi). Inclination: 5.00 deg. First Tiantong-1 satellite, was built by CAST and operated by China Satcom; it supported a mobile communications network operated by China Telecom. The satellite reached geostationary orbit and was drifting east over the Indian Ocean..

• Tongxin Jishu SW 2 - . Payload: TJS-2. Nation: China. Class: Surveillance. Type: ELINT. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 41911 . COSPAR: 2017-001A. Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Perigee: 201 km (124 mi). Inclination: 27.50 deg.

  See TJS 2 (Huoyan-1 ?). Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing 2 (Communications Technology Experiment Satellite 2) was developed by the Shanghai team. The lack of public information about the TJSW satellites has led to the suspicion that they may really be for defense purposes, possibly for non-communications purposes such as signals intelligence or missile early warning. TJSW 2 made the burn to circularize its orbit on Jan 6 at 0730 UTC over 114E.

• Shi Jian 13 - . Payload: Chinasat 16. Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-3. USAF Sat Cat: 42662 . COSPAR: 2017-018A. Apogee: 41,743 km (25,937 mi). Perigee: 237 km (147 mi). Inclination: 21.00 deg.

  See SJ 13 / ZX 16 (ChinaSat 16). China's Shi Jian 13 was launched into geotransfer orbit. The satellite was for Ka-band high bandwidth communications experiments. After its experimental phase it was to be transferred to China Satcom which would operate it as Zhongxing-16.

• Zhongxing 9A - . Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 42763 . COSPAR: 2017-035A. Apogee: 35,798 km (22,243 mi). Perigee: 35,777 km (22,230 mi). Inclination: 0.0700 deg. Period: 1,436.15 min. See ZX 9A (ChinaSat 9A). ..

• Alcomsat 1 - . Nation: Algeria. USAF Sat Cat: 43039 . COSPAR: 2017-078A. Apogee: 35,793 km (22,240 mi). Perigee: 35,781 km (22,233 mi). Inclination: 0.0400 deg. Period: 1,436.12 min. See Alcomsat 1. ..

• Apstar 6C - . Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 43450 . COSPAR: 2018-041A. Apogee: 35,795 km (22,241 mi). Perigee: 35,779 km (22,231 mi). Inclination: 0.0400 deg. Period: 1,436.11 min. See APStar 6C. ..

• Beidou DW 41 - . Payload: Beidou-3 G1Q; BEIDOU 3G1. Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 43683 . COSPAR: 2018-085A. Apogee: 35,792 km (22,240 mi). Perigee: 35,781 km (22,233 mi). Inclination: 2.87 deg. Period: 1,436.08 min. See BD-3 G1Q (Beidou 41). ..

• Chang'e 4 - . Nation: China. Type: Lunar probe 1. USAF Sat Cat: 43845 . COSPAR: 2018-103A. See Chang'e 4 / Yutu 2. ..

• Lunar rover - . Nation: China. Type: Lunar rover 1. COSPAR: 2018-103xx.

• Albus - . Nation: USA. Type: Tech 1. Spacecraft: Cubesat. COSPAR: 2018-104. See ALBus. ..

• CeReS - . Type: Science 1. Spacecraft: Cubesat. COSPAR: 2018-104. See CeREs. ..

• Zhongxing-2D - . Nation: China. Type: Comms 0. USAF Sat Cat: 43920 . COSPAR: 2019-001A. Apogee: 35,791 km (22,239 mi). Perigee: 35,782 km (22,233 mi). Inclination: 0.0400 deg. Period: 1,436.08 min. See ST 2D (ZX 2D, ChinaSat 2D) ?. ..