Long March 6: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Launch vehicle}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

|name = Long March 6

|caption = Maiden flight of Long March 6 rocket

|function = [[Launch vehicle|Small launch vehicle]]

|manufacturer = [[Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology]]<ref name=nasaspaceflight>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/09/china-debut-launch-long-march-6/|title=China conducts debut launch of Long March 6|date=19 September 2015 |publisher=NASASpaceflight|access-date=2015-09-19}}</ref>

|height = {{cvt|29|m}}

|diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

|mass = {{cvt|103000|kg}}

|stages = 3 <ref name=qq-2013-12-19/>

|capacities = {{Infobox Rocket/Payload

|location = {{cvt|700|km}} [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

|mass = {{cvt|1080|kg}}}}

|family = [[Long March (rocket family)|Long March]]

|comparable = [[Minotaur-C]],<br/>[[PSLV-CA]]

|status = Active

|sites = [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

|launches = 11

|success = 11

|fail =

|partial =

|first = 19 September 2015 <ref name=News163-20-star>[http://news.163.com/15/0920/08/B3UM5LN00001124J.html ''The Long March 6 launched a 20-star in Taiyuan to create the best in Asia'' Sept 2015]</ref>

|last = 20 June 2023

|stagedata =

|type = Stage

|stageno = First

|diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

|propmass = {{cvt|61000|kg}} to {{cvt|76000|kg}}

|engines = 1 [[YF-100]]

|thrust = {{cvt|1188|kN}} <ref name="New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development"/>

|SI = 300 seconds ([[sea level]])<br/>335 seconds ([[vacuum]]) <ref name=spacepac>{{cite web|url=http://spacepac.org/wp/china/chinese-yf-100-russian-rd-120-to-power-cz-5|title=Chinese YF-100 (Russian RD-120) to Power CZ-5|publisher=SPACEPAC, The Space Public Affairs Committee|access-date=2015-07-02|archive-date=25 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025141442/http://spacepac.org/wp/china/chinese-yf-100-russian-rd-120-to-power-cz-5/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

|burntime =

|fuel = [[kerosene|RP-1]]/[[LOX]]}}

|type = Stage

|stageno = Second

|diameter = {{cvt|2.25|m}}

|propmass = {{cvt|15000|kg}}

|engines = 1 [[YF-115]]

|thrust = {{cvt|180|kN}} <ref name="New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development"/>

|SI = 341.5 seconds (vacuum) <ref name=shenkongnet>{{cite web|url=http://www.shenkong.net/Explore/1410/ZGXYDYYMYFDJ3-YF100-115ZYTX26045110.htm|title=中国新一代液氧煤油发动机3：YF100/115主要特性 - 深空网 |website=www.shenkong.net|language=Chinese|access-date=2016-04-11|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055915/http://www.shenkong.net/Explore/1410/ZGXYDYYMYFDJ3-YF100-115ZYTX26045110.htm|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>

|burntime =

|fuel = [[kerosene|RP-1]]/[[LOX]]}}

|type = Stage

|stageno = Third

|diameter = {{cvt|2.25|m}}

|engines =1

|thrust = {{cvt|6.5|kN}} <ref name="New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development"/>

|SI = 306.9 seconds

|burntime =

|fuel = [[Dinitrogen tetroxide|N₂O₄]] / [[Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine|UDMH]]<ref name="New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development" />}}

The '''Long March 6''' ({{zh|c=长征六号运载火箭}}) or '''Chang Zheng 6''' as in [[pinyin]], abbreviated '''LM 6''' for export or '''CZ 6''' within China, is a Chinese [[liquid-fuel rocket|liquid-fuelled]] [[launch vehicle]] of the [[Long March (rocket family)|Long March family]], which was developed by the [[China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation]] (CASC) <ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90881/6748699.html|title=Development of China's new "Changzheng 6" carrier rocket commences|publisher=People's Daily Online|date=2009-09-04|access-date=6 September 2009}}</ref> and the [[Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology]] (SAST). The rocket was developed in the 2000s, and made its maiden flight in 2015.<ref name="maidenflight">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/09/china-debut-launch-long-march-6/|title=China conducts debut launch of Long March 6|date=2015-09-19|access-date=20 September 2015}}</ref> As one of the new generation rocket family, the Long March 6 was designed to be a light capacity, "high-speed response" rocket, complementing the heavy lift [[Long March 5]] and the mid-heavy lift [[Long March 7]] rocket families. It is capable of placing at least {{cvt|1000|kg}} of payload into a [[Sun-synchronous orbit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflight101.com/long-march-6.html|title=Long March 6 - Spaceflight101|access-date=2015-09-20|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150918112832/http://www.spaceflight101.com/long-march-6.html|archive-date=18 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="maidenflight"/> The first stage of the Long March 6 was derived from the [[booster rocket]]s being developed for the [[Long March 5]] rocket. It is powered by a [[YF-100]] engine, which generates {{cvt|1340|kN}} of thrust from burning [[kerosene]] and [[LOX]] as [[rocket fuel]] and [[oxidiser]].<ref name="maidenflight"/> This was the first flight of the new engine design.<ref name=News163-20-star/>

An enlarged variant, the [[Long March 6A]], which has four strap-on solid boosters, an elongated stage one, a new stage two with the same diameter as the first stage, and a payload capacity of at least 4000&nbsp;kg to [[Sun-synchronous orbit]], made its maiden flight on 29 March 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/cz-6.htm|title=CZ-6 (Chang Zheng-6)|website=space.skyrocket.de|access-date=2 November 2017}}</ref> A further iteration named the [[Long March 6C]] with a slightly shorter length than the 6A and without the four strap-on solid boosters had its successful maiden launch on 7 May 2024.<ref name=AJ-CZ6C>{{cite web | url=https://spacenews.com/china-launches-first-long-march-6c-rocket/ | last=Jones | first=Andrew | title=China launches first Long March 6C rocket | publisher=spacenews.com | date=7 May 2024 | access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref>

== Launch statistics ==

{{#invoke:Chart | bar chart

| height = 300

| width = 500

| stack = 1

| group 1 = 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0

| group 2 = 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0

| group 3 = 1: 0: 1: 0: 1: 1: 4: 2: 1

| group 4 = 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0: 0

| colors = FireBrick : Orange : ForestGreen : LightBlue

| group names = Failure : Partial failure : Success : Planned

| units suffix = _launches

| x legends = 2015 ::::: 2020 :::

}}

== List of launches ==

! Serial number

| 1

| Y1

| 19 September 2015<br/>23:01

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[ZDPS-2A]], [[ZDPS-2B]]<br>[[NanoSatellite-2|NS-2]]<br>[[Zijing-1|ZJ-1]], [[Zijing-2|ZJ-2]]<br>[[Tiantuo 3]]<br>[[NUDT-Phone-Sat]]<br>[[Xingchen]] 1/2/3/4<br>[[LilacSat 2]]<br>[[Xinyan-2|XY-2]]<br>[[DCBB]]<br>[[Xiwang]]-2A/2B/2C/2E/2F

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}<ref name="maidenflight"/>

|-

| 2

| Y2

| 21 November 2017<br/>04:50

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[Jilin 1|Jilin 1-04/05/06]]

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 3

| Y4

| 13 November 2019<br/>06:35

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[Ningxia-1]] 01<br/>[[Ningxia-1]] 02<br/>[[Ningxia-1]] 03<br/>[[Ningxia-1]] 04<br/>[[Ningxia-1]] 05

| [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 4

| Y3

| 6 November 2020<br/>03:19

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[ÑuSat|ÑuSat 9-18]] (10 satellites)

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 5

| Y5

| 27 April 2021<br/>03:20

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| | Qilu-1<br/>Qilu-4<br/>Foshan-1<br/>Zhongan Guotong-1<br/>Tianqi-9<br/>Origin Space NEO-1<br/>Tai King II 01<br/>Golden Bauhinia-1 01<br/>Golden Bauhinia-1 02

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 6

| Y6

| 9 July 2021<br/>11:59

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| Zhuzhou-1 01<br/>Zhuzhou-1 02<br/>Zhuzhou-1 03<br/>Zhuzhou-1 04<br/>Zhuzhou-1 05

| [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 7

| Y7

| 4 August 2021<br/>11:01

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| KL-Beta A<br/>KL-Beta B

| [[Polar orbit|Polar]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 8

| Y8

| 5 November 2021<br/>02:19

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| Guangmu-1 (CASEarth)

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 9

| Y10

| 10 August 2022<br/>04:50

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[Jilin-1|Jilin-1 GF-03D09, 35-43]]<br/>Yunyao-1 04–08<br/>Tianjin Binghai-1

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 10

| Y9

| 26 September 2022<br/>23:50

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[Shiyan (satellite)|Shiyan 16A]]<br/>[[Shiyan (satellite)|Shiyan 16B]]<br/>[[Shiyan (satellite)|Shiyan 17]]

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 11

| Y12

| 20 June 2023<br/>03:18

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| [[Shiyan (satellite)|Shiyan 25]]

| [[Sun-synchronous orbit|SSO]]

| {{Success}}

|-

| 12

| Y?

| Q4 2024

| [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Taiyuan Launch Area 16|LA-16]]

| TBA

| TBA

| {{Planned}}

[[File:Long March 6 at IAC 2018.jpg|thumb|Long March 6 model with launch pad umbilical arm]]

== See also ==

{{Portal|Spaceflight|China}}

<!-- These seem unrelated :

* {{annotated link|Kaituozhe (rocket family)|Kaituozhe-1}}

* {{annotated link|Kuaizhou}} -->

== References ==

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=qq-2013-12-19>{{cite web|url=http://news.qq.com/a/20131219/013441_all.htm|title=突破运力"下限"的长征6号|trans-title=Advances in Light Capacity Long March 6|publisher=Tencent Military Channel |language=Chinese|date=19 December 2013|access-date=3 August 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development">{{cite journal|author=ZHANG Wei-dong, WANG Dong-bao|title=New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development|journal=Aerospace Shanghai|date=2016}}</ref>

{{Expendable launch systems}}

[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 2015]]

[[Category:2015 in spaceflight]]

[[Category:2015 in China]]

[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 2015]]