Watch the Launch

Chang'e 3 & Yutu

Overview

Destination: Lunar Orbit
Mission: Robotic Exploration

Lunar Orbit Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chang'e 3 is an uncrewed lunar exploration mission consisting of a robotic lander and China's first lunar rover Yutu. The main objective of the mission is to achieve China's first soft landing and roving exploration on the Moon, as well as performing lunar-based astronomical observation and studying lunar topography and geology.

Long March 3B

Family:
Configuration: B

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.

Specifications
  • Max Stage
    3
  • Length
    54.8 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    426.0 T
  • Thrust
    5923.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 3B
  • Family
  • Variant
    B
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 3B
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $70000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    11500.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    5100.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
    2000.0 kg
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 572 Failures: 15 Pending: 11

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

Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Launch Complex 2 (LC-2)


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Unknown satellite(s) for the Russian military.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 10 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-14
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A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


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Success
3 days, 10 hours ago
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Electron
Success
4 days, 11 hours ago
Bubbles
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Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 6 hours ago
GPS III SV10
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Tenth of ten GPS III missions.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 21 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-22
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


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Failure
1 week ago
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