Yaogan 40 Group 03

Overview

Destination: Polar Orbit
Mission: Government/Top Secret

Polar Orbit Launch Complex 9A Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

3 Chinese reconnaissance satellites of unknown purposes, officially reported as for "Electromagnetic environment probing".

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 6, 2025, 5:22 p.m.

Launch success.

Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 3, 2025, 6:05 a.m.

Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload and launch vehicle identities uncertain.

Long March 6A

Family:
Configuration:

The Long March 6A is a Chinese launch vehicle of the Long March family, which was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The vehicle is a further development of the Long March 6, with 2 YF-100 engines on the first stage as opposed to 1 on the Long March 6, augmented by 4 solid rocket boosters. The Long March 6A is China's first rocket with solid rocket boosters. The maiden launch of the Long March 6A took place 29 March 2022, successfully reaching orbit. It was also the first launch from the newly built launch complex 9A in Taiyuan.

Specifications

Minimum Stage
1
Max Stage
2
Length
50.0 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Fairing Diameter
5.2 m
Launch Mass
530.0 T
Thrust
7230.0 kN

Family

Name
Long March 6A
Family
―
Variant
―
Alias
―
Full Name
Long March 6A

Payload Capacity

Launch Cost
―
Low Earth Orbit
―
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
―
Direct Geostationary
―
Sun-Synchronous Capacity
6400.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 526 Failures: 14 Pending: 5

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