Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Long March-4C launches FengYun-3F (FY-3F)

A Long March-4C launch vehicle launched the FengYun-3F meteorological satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Gansu Province, northwest China, on 3 August 2023, at 03:47 UTC (11:47 local t...

Fengyun-3F

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The newer FY-3 series is an improved generation of polar-orbiting heliosynchronous weather satellites.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 3, 2023, 4:15 a.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 3, 2023, 3:48 a.m.

Liftoff.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 3, 2023, 3:40 a.m.

Tweaked T-0.


Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 3, 2023, 3:33 a.m.

Livestream started.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 29, 2023, 10:49 a.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; payload identity not confirmed.


Long March 4C

Family:
Configuration: C

The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C, CZ-4C and LM-4C, previously designated Long March 4B-II, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from the Jiuquan, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre and Xichangs, and consists of 3 stages. Long March 4C vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 SAR satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite. On December 15, 2009 a Long March 4C was used to launch Yaogan 8.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
  • Diameter
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Long March 4C
  • Family
  • Variant
    C
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 4C
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 565 Failures: 15 Pending: 10

Agency Type:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

INFO WIKI

Related News

NASASpaceflight

China launches four rockets and outlines future lunar mission

China has picked up its launch cadence in the last two weeks as they continue to push forward in its ambitious 2023 launch schedule. Not only did they launch three rockets from the Chang Zheng family in a short period of time, but also Gus…

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: SpaceX launches Galaxy 37; will launch Starlink Group 6-8

Breaking into the 31st week of 2023, from July 31 to Aug. 6, not much is held in store in terms of launches. Up first this week, a momentous flight took place when the last Antares 230+ flew to LEO during the NG-19 resupply mission to the …

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603)


Kuaizhou 11
Success
14 hours, 7 minutes ago
8 satellites
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Ride-share launch of 8 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. Details TBD.


Long March 6A
Success
1 day, 4 hours ago
Yaogan 50-02
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 50-02 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 5 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-48
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 3 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-31
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
3 days, 19 hours ago
Shiyan 30 03-04
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

A pair of Chinese satellites reported to be for "Earth observation technological testing and validation" purposes. Actual usage not known.


Long March 8A
Success
3 days, 22 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 20
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Firefly Alpha
Success
4 days, 17 hours ago
Stairway to Seven
Space Launch Complex 2W - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Firefly Alpha's Flight 7 is a test flight and return-To-Flight for the launch vehicle after its April 2025 launch failure. It will test and validate …


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 14 hours ago
EchoStar 25
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

EchoStar 25 is a direct broadcast satellite, built on the proven Maxar 1300 series platform, which will deliver content across North America. It will…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 17-18
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed (BlackSky Gen-3 4)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Note: Payload and customer identities were not publicly announced. 4th of the BlackSky Gen-3 high resolution Earth-imaging satellites.