View source for Long March 3

{{Short description|Chinese orbital carrier rocket}}
{{distinguish|Long March 3 rocket family}}
{{Infobox rocket
| image          = CZ-3 rendering.jpg
| caption        = Rendering of Long March 3
|function      =  [[Carrier rocket]]
|manufacturer  =  [[China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology|CALT]]
|country-origin=  China
|status        =  Retired
|sites         =  [[Xichang Launch Area 3|LA-3]], [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center|XSLC]]
|height        =  {{convert|43.25|m|ft}}<ref name="EA">{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz3.htm|title=CZ-3|author=Mark Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|access-date=2008-04-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601101204/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz3.htm|archive-date=2008-06-01}}</ref>
|diameter      =  {{convert|3.35|m|ft}}<ref name="EA" />
|mass          =  {{convert|204000|kg|lb}}<ref name="EA" />
|stages        =  3
|launches      =  13
|success       =  10
|fail          =  2
|partial       =  1
|first         =  29 January 1984
|last          =  25 June 2000
|capacities    =
  {{Infobox Rocket/Payload
  |location=[[Low Earth orbit|LEO]]
  |kilos    =  {{convert|5000|kg|lb}}<ref name="GSP">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/cz-3.htm|title=CZ-3 (Chang Zheng-3)|author=Gunter Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2008-04-27}}</ref>
  }}
  {{Infobox Rocket/Payload
  |location=[[Geosynchronous transfer orbit|GTO]]
  |kilos    =  {{convert|1500|kg|lb}}<ref name="GSP" />
  }}
|family     =  [[Long March rocket|Long March]]
|derivatives=  [[Long March 3A]]
|stagedata= 
  {{Infobox rocket/Stage
  |type = stage
  |stageno = First
  |name =
  |length     =  23.49 m
  |diameter   =  3.35 m
  |empty      =  {{convert|9378|kg|abbr=on}}
  |gross      =  {{convert|153070|kg|abbr=on}}
  |propmass   =  {{convert|143692|kg|abbr=on}}
  |engines = 4 [[YF-20|YF-21B]]
  |thrust = {{convert|2961.6|kN|abbr=on}}
  |alt-thrust =
  |burntime = 121 s
  |SI =  {{convert|2556.2|m/s|isp|abbr=on}}
  |fuel = [[dinitrogen tetraoxide|N2O4]] / [[UDMH]]
  }}
  {{Infobox rocket/Stage
  |type = stage
  |stageno = Second
  |name =
  |length     =  9.47 m
  |diameter   =  3.35 m
  |empty      =  {{convert|3599|kg|abbr=on}}
  |gross      =  {{convert|39440|kg|abbr=on}}
  |propmass   =  {{convert|35841|kg|abbr=on}}
  |engines = 1 [[YF-20|YF-24D]]<br>(1 x YF-22D (Main))<br>(4 x YF-23F (Vernier))
  |thrust = {{convert|741.4|kN|abbr=on}} (Main)<br>{{convert|47.1|kN|abbr=on}} (Vernier)
  |alt-thrust =
  |burntime = 130 s
  |SI = {{convert|2922.4|m/s|isp|abbr=on}} (Main)<br>{{convert|2762|m/s|isp|abbr=on}} (Vernier)
  |fuel = [[dinitrogen tetraoxide|N2O4]] / [[UDMH]]
  }}
  {{Infobox rocket/Stage
  |type = stage
  |stageno = Third
  |name =  
  |length     =  10.36 m
  |diameter   =  2.25 m
  |empty      =  {{convert|1965|kg|abbr=on}}
  |gross      =  {{convert|10700|kg|abbr=on}}
  |propmass   =  {{convert|8731|kg|abbr=on}}
  |engines    = 1 [[YF-73]]
  |thrust = {{convert|44.43|kN|abbr=on}}
  |alt-thrust =
  |burntime = 729 s
  |SI = {{convert|4119|m/s|isp|abbr=on}}
  |fuel = {{LH2}} / [[LOX]]
  }}
}}

The '''Long March 3''' ({{zh|长征三号火箭}}), also known as the '''Changzheng 3''', '''CZ-3''' and '''LM-3''', was a Chinese [[orbit]]al [[carrier rocket]] design. They were all launched from Launch Area 3 at the [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]]. It was a three-stage rocket, and was mostly used to place [[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2]]-class [[communications satellites]] into [[geosynchronous transfer orbit]]s. It was complemented and later replaced by the more powerful [[Long March 3A]], which has an improved third stage.

== List of launches ==
{{main|List of Long March launches}}
{| class="wikitable"
! Flight number
! Date (UTC)
! Launch site
! Payload
! Orbit
! Result
|-
|1
|January 29, 1984<br />12:25
|[[Xichang Launch Area 3|LA-3]], [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center|XSLC]]
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|STTW 1]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]] (intended)
|{{Partial failure|[[#Dong Fang Hong 2 launch failure|Partial Failure]]}}
|-
|2
|April 8, 1984<br />11:20
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|STTW 2]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|3
|February 1, 1986<br />12:37
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2-1]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|4
|March 7, 1988<br />12:41
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2A-1]] ([[ChinaSat]] 1)
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|5
|December 22, 1988<br />12:40
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2A-2]] ([[ChinaSat]] 2)
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|6
|February 4, 1990<br />12:28
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2A-3]] ([[ChinaSat]] 3)
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|7
|April 7, 1990<br />13:30
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[AsiaSat 1]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|8
|December 28, 1991<br />12:00
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Dong Fang Hong 2|DFH-2A-4]] ([[ChinaSat]] 4)
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]] (intended)
|{{Failure|[[#ChinaSat 4 launch failure|Failure]]}}
|-
|9
|July 21, 1994<br />10:55
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[APStar 1]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|10
|July 3, 1996<br />10:47
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[APStar 1A]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|11
|August 18, 1996<br />10:27
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[ChinaSat 7]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]] (intended)
|{{Failure|[[#Chinasat 7 launch failure|Failure]]}}
|-
|12
|June 10, 1997<br />12:01
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Fengyun|Fengyun 2A]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|13
|June 25, 2000<br />11:50
|LA-3, XSLC
|[[Fengyun|Fengyun 2B]]
|[[Geostationary transfer orbit|GTO]]
|{{Success}}
|-
|}

== Launch failures ==

=== Dong Fang Hong 2 launch failure ===
On January 29, 1984, a LM-3 rocket failed during launch.
The third stage failed 4 s after restart for GTO insertion of the satellite, due to incorrect mixture ratio in the engine gas generator, which caused high temperatures and burned out the turbine casing. However, many planned tests on the experimental communications spacecraft were still carried out in the resulting elliptical orbit.

=== ChinaSat 4 launch failure ===
On December 28, 1991, a LM-3 rocket failed during launch.
The third-stage engine suffered a loss of turbine speed and combustion pressure 58 s after re-igniting for the second burn for GTO insertion and shut down completely 135 s after re-ignition. Loss of pressure in the high-pressure helium supply used for engine control had reduced the propellant flow.

=== ChinaSat 7 launch failure ===
On August 18, 1996 a LM-3 rocket failed during launch.
The third-stage engine shut down roughly 40 s earlier than planned because of a fire in the LH2 injector of the gas generator. Insufficient purging had permitted oxygen to freeze in the gas generator during flight.

==Specifications of all LM-3 types ==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:right;"
|+Specifications
|style="text-align:left; background:#D9D9D9"|'''Series'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3A'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3B'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3B/E'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3C'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#edf3fe"|'''3C/E'''
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Model'''
|[[Image:CZ-3.svg|40px|center|Long March 3]]
|[[Image:CZ-3A.svg|40px|center|Long March 3A]]
|[[Image:CZ-3B.svg|40px|center|Long March 3B]]
|[[Image:CZ-3B.svg|40px|center|Long March 3B/E]]
|[[Image:CZ-3C.svg|40px|center|Long March 3C]]
|[[Image:CZ-3C.svg|40px|center|Long March 3C/E]]
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Stages'''
|3
|3
|3 <br/>(plus 4 Strap-on boosters)
|3 <br/>(plus 4 Strap-on boosters)
|3 <br/>(plus 2 Strap-on boosters)
|3 <br/>(plus 2 Strap-on boosters)
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Length (m)'''
|43.2
|52.5
|54.8
|56.3
|54.8
|56.3
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Max. diameter (m)'''
|3.35
|3.35
|3.35
|3.35
|3.35
|3.35
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Liftoff mass (t)'''
|204
|241
|426
|459
|345
|378
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Liftoff thrust (kN)'''
|2,962
|2,962
|5,923
|5,923
|4,442
|4,442
|-
|style="text-align:left; background:#E6E6E6"|'''Payload (LEO, kg)'''
|5,000
|8,500
|11,500
|11,500
|8,000
|8,000
|-
|}

== Launch history for all LM-3 types==
The following launch statistics are gathered from the individual Wikipedia pages of each CZ-3x variants as those pages are updated more frequently by various editors; the numbers are current as of 28 May, 2025. 

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto; text-align:right;"
|+Long March 3 (rocket family)
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Derivatives'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Status'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''First flight'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Launches'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Successes'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Failures'''
|style="text-align:center; background:#BBB"|'''Partial failures'''
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Long March 3
|{{site inactive|Retired}}
|29 January 1984
|13
|10
|2
|1
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Long March 3A]]
|{{site inactive|Retired}}
|8 February 1994
|27
|27
|0
|0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Long March 3B]]
|{{site inactive|Retired}}
|14 February 1996
|12
|10
|1
|1
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Long March 3B/E]]
|{{site active|Active}}
|13 May 2007
|97
|95
|1
|1
|-
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Long March 3C]]
|{{site inactive|Retired}}
|25 April 2008
|12
|12
|0
|0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[Long March 3C/E]]
|{{site active|Active}}
|23 October 2014
|7
|7
|0
|0
|}

{{commonscat|Long March 3}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight|China}}
{{Expendable launch systems}}
{{Chinese space program}}
{{Long March rockets}}

[[Category:Long March (rocket family)]]
[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 1984]]