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CZ-2C/2 Long March Space Launch Vehicles

10-09-09

CZ-2C/2

China’s CZ-2C/2 launch vehicle variant was introduced on December 29, 2003 with the first Double Star launch with six utilized to date. The derivation of the CZ-2C2 has been launched from Jiuquan (JSLC) or Taiyuan (TSLC) and Xichang (XSLC) launch infrastructures. Long March-2C/2 is a three-stage launch vehicle utilizing highly toxic storable UDMH and Nitrogen Tetroxide propellants on the first two stages, for launching a variety of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) of 200 kilometers satellites with a payload capacity of about 2,500 kilograms at an inclination of 52 degrees. At 90 degrees inclination its payload capacity goes down to 2,200 kilograms. The booster has a diameter of 3.35 meters and a length of about 35.15 meters with a launch mass of about 192,000 kilograms with a launch thrust of 2,960,000. Kilo-Newton’s. For further information on the basic first two stages see the CZ-2C Chinese launch vehicle section see: http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/world/china/cz-2c.htm The CZ-2C is derived from the CSS-4 ballistic missile and consists of two stages.

Later in the decade, the CZ-2C was mated with a small, solid-propellant perigee kick-stage to provide the vehicle with a modest GTO capability (References 158-166) . It apparently consist of the basic CZ-2C booster with the third stage addition of the Chinese derivation on the McDonnell Douglas PAM-D upper stage utilizing a Star series Thiokol heritage solid motor or an equivalent Chinese derived designed to meet their requirements. This continues to be known as the CZ-2C/2. It continues to demonstrate a 100% success rate in its launches.

Variation on the Long March CZ-2C continue to still be launch from Taiyuan (TSLC) and Xichang (XSLC) launch infrastructures. Its first launch was on September 9, 1982 with a total of 27 utilized through September 2009. Earlier variants of the booster known as the CZ-2A were first launched on November 26, 1975. It has been successfully utilized in various military RECSAT and commercial, scientific, technology satellite launches.

The CZ-2C [LM-2C] upper stage is designed for reducing space debris. During the design of the CZ-2C launch vehicle, the space debris problem was considered for the first time. During the design of its software, the attitude of perigee of the CZ-2C launch vehicle was designed to be lower than 190 km after its second stage is separated. Its orbital life is limited to less than two months. The CZ-2C adopted the active de-orbiting design. Compared with the advantages and disadvantages of the active de-orbiting and passive de-orbiting, the CZ-2C adopted the active de-orbiting design. After de-orbiting, the upper stage perigee is 224 km and its apogee is 630 km. Its orbital life decreases from 53 years to two months.