CASC Long March 3B Fengyun-4A
Long March 3B
Status
Success
Date
10 DEC 2016
16:11
Launch Provider
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch Pad
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1)
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Mission Overview
Fengyun-4A (also known as FY-4A) is the first unit of the improved meteorological satellites series. Besides its main meteorological mission, it is also capable of solar observations for better space weather monitoring capabilites. The satellite is expected to operate for 5 years.
Rocket
Long March 3B
Mission Type
Earth Science
Orbit
Geostationary Transfer Orbit
Stages
3
Livestream
Rocket Details
The Long March 3B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan. A three-stage rocket with four strap-on liquid rocket boosters, it is currently the most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the heaviest of the Long March 3 rocket family, and is mainly used to place communications satellites into geosynchronous orbits.
Height
54.8 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Launch Mass
426 T
Thrust
5,923 kN