Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
---|---|
Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) |
Country of origin | China |
Size | |
Height | |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Mass | |
Stages | 2 |
Capacity | |
Payload to SSO 700 km | |
Mass | |
Payload to LEO | |
Mass | 8,100 kg (17,900 lb) |
Payload to GTO | |
Mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) |
Payload to TLI | |
Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
Associated rockets | |
Comparable | Soyuz-2 Antares Falcon 9 (RTLS reusable) Atlas V 501 Ariane 62 H3-30 |
Launch history | |
Status | Active |
Launch sites | Wenchang LC-2 Wenchang Commercial LC-1 |
Total launches | 3 |
Success(es) | 3 |
First flight | 22 December 2020 |
Last flight | 20 March 2024 |
Boosters (Standard) – K2 booster | |
No. boosters | 2 or 0 |
Height | 26.903 m (88.26 ft) |
Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
Powered by | 1 YF-100 |
Maximum thrust | Sea level: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) Vacuum: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) |
Total thrust | Sea level: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) Vacuum: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
First stage – K3 core module | |
Height | 25.083 m (82.29 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Powered by | 2 YF-100 |
Maximum thrust | Sea level: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) Vacuum: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
Second stage (CZ-8) | |
Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
Diameter | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
Powered by | 2 YF-75 |
Maximum thrust | 167.17 kN (37,580 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 438 s (4.30 km/s) |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Second stage (CZ-8A) | |
Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
Powered by | 2 YF-75H |
Maximum thrust | 200 kN (45,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 442.6 s (4.340 km/s) |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Long March 8 (Chinese: 长征八号运载火箭) is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).[4] The rocket is based on the Long March 7 with its first stage and two boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of the Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its second stage. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.[1]
A planned future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will be partially reusable by featuring a combined booster recovery of the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.[5]
The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.[6]
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