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CZ-NGLV

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CZ NGLV
Credit: (c) Mark Wade

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Status: Operational 2016.

The launch vehicles were first announced in February 2001, and modified descriptions were provided at the Wuzhai Air Show and IAC in late 2002. Propulsion system details and masses were released at the FAI in Bremen in September 2003. These modular stages were as follows:

• 2.25 m diameter module powered by one YF-100 120 metric ton thrust Lox/Kerosene engine. This would later be abandoned in favor of a shorter version of the 3.35 meter diameter module powered by a single YF-100 engine.
• 3.35 m diameter module powered by two YF-100 120 metric ton thrust Lox/Kerosene engines
• 5.0 m diameter module powered by two YF-77 50 metric ton thrust Lox/LH2 engines
• 5.0 m diameter upper stage powered by two 8 metric ton thrust Lox/LH2 engines (a derivative of the CZ-3B upper stage)
• 3.35 m diameter upper stage powered by four YF-115 15 metric ton thrust Lox/Kerosene engines,.
• 2.25 m diameter upper stage for the light launch vehicle powered by a single YF-115.
• Common large payload fairing, 5.2 m in diameter and coming in three standard lengths.

The new launch vehicles were designed for a 98% reliability as compared to 91% for existing Chinese designs. They were also expected to be 20% cheaper than existing designs. Chief Designer for the new series was Long Lehao.

The new family would use a unique 'direct-to-pad' integration concept using highly automated systems with a total cycle time of only 20 days. The launch vehicle was to be assembled vertically on the launch pad as soon as the stages arrived at the site. It would be checked out in a mobile service tower (MST). In parallel to this the payload would be integrated and encapsulated in a separate encapsulation facility. The encapsulated payload was to be transferred and mated to the launch vehicle only three days before launch.

CZ-NGLV-540 Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The 540 configuration for the Long March New Generation Launch Vehicle series would use the 5.0 m diameter core stage with four 2.25 m diameter stages as strap-ons. Payload was given as 10 metric tons to low earth orbit. A standard short 5.2 m diameter fairing tops the vehicle. Version dropped together with the 2.25 m booster module.

CZ-NGLV-522 Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The 522 configuration for the Long March New Generation Launch Vehicle series would use the 5.0 m diameter core stage with 2 x 2.25 m plus 2 x 3.35 m strap-on stages. Payload is estimated as 18-20 metric tons to low earth orbit. Version dropped together with the 2.25 m booster module.

CZ-NGLV-522/HO Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The 522/HO was the 'all up' baseline configuration for the Long March New Generation Launch Vehicle series. It would use the 5.0 m core stage, topped by the 5.0 m upper stage, together with 2 x 2.25 m plus 2 x 3.35 m strap-on stages. It was announced in 2003 that it would be first to fly, with a launch before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. It would be used for launch of large communications satellites. Payload is estimated as 10-12 metric tons to geosynchronous transfer orbit. Version dropped together with the 2.25 m booster module.

CZ-NGLV-200 Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The Long March New Generation Launch Vehicle series small launcher would use the 2.25 m diameter module as the first stage and a single upper stage of the same diameter. Payload was given as 1.5 metric tons into low earth orbit. First launch was expected after 2008. Although the configuration was not shown at the Wuzhai Air Show in 2002 it re-emerged at the FAI in 2003. It seemed to be in competition with the all-solid-propellant KT-1, KT-2, and KT-2A series. Version dropped together with the 2.25 m booster module and replaced with the CZ-6, which combined a shortened 3.35 m booster module and the 2.25 m diameter upper stage.

CZ-NGLV-540/HO Chinese orbital launch vehicle. The 540/HO configuration for the Long March New Generation Launch Vehicle series would use the 5.0 m core stage, topped by the 5.0 m upper stage, together with 4 x 2.25 m strap-on stages. First flight of this version was expected after 2010. Payload was given as 6 metric tons to geosynchronous transfer orbit. This version was no longer mentioned when by 2016.

Photo Gallery

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CZ Family Credit: © Mark Wade

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• Chinese Rocket Plans - . Nation: China.

  Chief Designer of Chinese rockets Long Lehao described China's three-phase future space launcher plan. Phase 1, 2001-2003: Modify existing launchers to increase their reliability and payload capacity. Phase 2, by 2005: Develop non-toxic, non-polluting launchers, and increase low-Earth-orbit launch capacity to over 20 tonnes and geosynchronous transfer orbit capacity from the current 5.5 tonnes to about 14 tonnes. Phase 3: Develop a recoverable launch vehicle with lower launch costs.

• Kaituo-1 - . Mass: 130 kg (280 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. Spacecraft: Kaituo. USAF Sat Cat: 40899 . COSPAR: 2015-049A. Apogee: 537 km (333 mi). Perigee: 513 km (318 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 95.13 min. Satellite from Shenzen DFH Company, also called XY 2 (Xinyan-2 or NewTech-2), which tested electric propulsion Hall thrusters. Deployed the DCBB subsatellite..

• Zhineng hao - . Payload: NUDT-PHONESAT. Mass: 1.00 kg (2.20 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40900 . COSPAR: 2015-049B. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 511 km (317 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 95.11 min.

  Zhineng hao shouji weixing (Smart Phone Satellite), a 1 kg satellite also known as NUDT-Phone-Sat, built around the motherboard of an Android smartphone. Deployed four Xingchen 100 gram picosats. The overall experiment was to control a cluster of satellites using intersatellite communications.

• Zheda Pixing 2A - . Payload: ZDPS 2A. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40901 . COSPAR: 2015-049C. Apogee: 537 km (333 mi). Perigee: 514 km (319 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.14 min. One of a pair of Zhejian University (Hangzhou, Zhejiang) satellites to test MEMS microelectronic technology, including a small deployable truss antenna on top of each satellite..

• Zheda Pixing 2B - . Payload: ZDPS 2B. Mass: 12 kg (26 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40902 . COSPAR: 2015-049D. Apogee: 537 km (333 mi). Perigee: 514 km (319 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 95.15 min. One of a pair of Zhejian University (Hangzhou, Zhejiang) satellites to test MEMS microelectronic technology, including a small deployable truss antenna on top of each satellite..

• Xiwang-2A - . Payload: XW-2A. Mass: 25 kg (55 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40903 . COSPAR: 2015-049E. Apogee: 475 km (295 mi). Perigee: 453 km (281 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 93.87 min.

  The XiWang-2 ('Hope') cluster of amateur radio satellites was from CAMSAT, the Chinese AMSAT chapter, and Aerospace DFH Satellite Co (Beijing). The 25 kg XW-2A carried two 1.5 kg subsatellites, XW-2E/2F, while the 10 kg XW-2B, 2C and 2D satellites were deployed directly from the rocket third stage.

• Luliang-1 - . Payload: KAITUO 1A. Mass: 20 kg (44 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40904 . COSPAR: 2015-049F. Apogee: 539 km (334 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.18 min.

  The Tiantuo-3 constellation was from the National University of Defense Technology (Guofang Keji Daxue Yan) in Changsha, Hunan. Its primary satellite, the 20 kg, Luliang-1, was developed in collaboration with the municipal government of Luliang city in Shanxi, near the Taiyuan launch site, for tests of AIS (ship tracking) and ADS-B (airplane data relay) systems. Luliang-1 ejected the Zhineng hao shouji weixing (Smart Phone Satellite), a 1 kg satellite also known as NUDT-Phone-Sat,

• Naxing-2 - . Payload: OBJECT G. Mass: 20 kg (44 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40905 . COSPAR: 2015-049G. Apogee: 542 km (336 mi). Perigee: 517 km (321 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 95.23 min. Tsinghua University (Beijing)'s Naxing-2 (Nanosatellite-2, NS-2) had a mass of 20 kg and tested MEMS microelectronic components and carried small Beidou/GPS receivers. It also deployed the Zijing 1 and 2 picosats..

• Xiwang-2C - . Payload: XW-2C. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40906 . COSPAR: 2015-049H. Apogee: 541 km (336 mi). Perigee: 516 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.21 min. Part of the XiWang-2 ('Hope') cluster of amateur radio satellites was from CAMSAT, the Chinese AMSAT chapter, and Aerospace DFH Satellite Co (Beijing). The 10 kg XW-2B, 2C and 2D satellites were deployed directly from the rocket third stage..

• Xiwang-2D - . Payload: XW-2D. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40907 . COSPAR: 2015-049J. Apogee: 541 km (336 mi). Perigee: 517 km (321 mi). Inclination: 97.45 deg. Period: 95.21 min. Part of the XiWang-2 ('Hope') cluster of amateur radio satellites was from CAMSAT, the Chinese AMSAT chapter, and Aerospace DFH Satellite Co (Beijing). The 10 kg XW-2B, 2C and 2D satellites were deployed directly from the rocket third stage..

• Zidingxiang-2 - . Payload: LILACSAT 2. Mass: 11 kg (24 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Communications technology satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40908 . COSPAR: 2015-049K. Apogee: 543 km (337 mi). Perigee: 518 km (321 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.25 min. Zidingxiang-2 ("LilacSat-2") was from the Harbin Institute of Technology in Heilongjiang province, in China's far northeast. The 11 kg satellite carries an ADS-B reciever, and an FPGA radiation exposure test..

• Xiwang-2E - . Payload: XW-2E. Mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40909 . COSPAR: 2015-049L. Apogee: 539 km (334 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.18 min. 1.5 kg amateur radio subsatellite deployed from the XW-2A..

• Xiwang-2F - . Payload: XW-2F. Mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40910 . COSPAR: 2015-049M. Apogee: 541 km (336 mi). Perigee: 516 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.21 min. 1.5 kg amateur radio subsatellite deployed from the XW-2A..

• Xiwang-2B - . Payload: XW-2B. Mass: 10 kg (22 lb). Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. USAF Sat Cat: 40911 . COSPAR: 2015-049N. Apogee: 540 km (330 mi). Perigee: 517 km (321 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.21 min. Part of the XiWang-2 ('Hope') cluster of amateur radio satellites was from CAMSAT, the Chinese AMSAT chapter, and Aerospace DFH Satellite Co (Beijing). The 10 kg XW-2B, 2C and 2D satellites were deployed directly from the rocket third stage..

• DCBB - . Payload: KAITUO 1B. Mass: 2.00 kg (4.40 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Cubesat. USAF Sat Cat: 40912 . COSPAR: 2015-049P. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 510 km (310 mi). Inclination: 97.46 deg. Period: 95.10 min. 2U cubesat with an amateur radio payload..

• Xingchen 1 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. Xingchen ('Starlight') 100 gram picosat, deployed from the Zhineng hao / NUDT-Phone-Sat, measuring only 98 x 98 x 7mm in size..

• Xingchen 2 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. Xingchen ('Starlight') 100 gram picosat, deployed from the Zhineng hao / NUDT-Phone-Sat..

• Xingchen 3 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. Xingchen ('Starlight') 100 gram picosat, deployed from the Zhineng hao / NUDT-Phone-Sat..

• Xingchen 4 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 536 km (333 mi). Perigee: 515 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. Xingchen ('Starlight') 100 gram picosat, deployed from the Zhineng hao / NUDT-Phone-Sat..

• Zijing-1 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 541 km (336 mi). Perigee: 519 km (322 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. 234 gram picosat deployed from Naxing-2..

• Kongjian Shiyan 1 - . Mass: 0 kg (0 lb). Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. COSPAR: 2015-049. Apogee: 541 km (336 mi). Perigee: 519 km (322 mi). Inclination: 97.50 deg. 173 gram picosat, also called Ziging-2, deployed from Naxing-2. Built by the Xi'an University of Electronic Science and Technology (Xidian) in Jiangxi..

• DFFC - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Reentry test. Spacecraft: DFFC. COSPAR: 2016-042. Apogee: 382 km (237 mi). Perigee: 288 km (178 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg.

  China inaugurated the Wenchang spaceport on Hainan Island on Jun 25 with the launch of the first Chang Zheng 7 rocket. The CZ-7 entered orbit with a YZ-1A upper stage, which made several burns to deploy small satellites and then was deorbited along with a subscale spacecraft reentry cabin to qualify systems for the next generation of Chinese human spaceflight missions. Four small satellites were ejected from the YZ-1A. Attached to the YZ-1A as a non-separable payload was the 'zai guijia zhu shiyan zhuangzhi', the In-Orbit Refeulling Experimental Device. The YZ-1A was deorbited over the Pacific after the experiment was completed; the stage had a design operation life of 48 hours. US tracking indicates the stage was deorbited on Jun 27 as expected. The primary payload was the DFFC (Duoyongtu Feichuan Fanhui Cang, multipurpose subscale spacecraft return capsule) flight test mission, which was to be recovered in China. There was also a ballast frame (pei zhong zhijia) which may be a dummy service module for the capsule. The capsule was deorbited on Jun 26 and landed in China at 0741 UTC. It was possible that the YZ-1A stage performed the deorbit and then separated to fire again immediately, regain orbit and continue operations for another day, but the details of what actually happened are not clear.

• Aoxiang zhixing - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Cubesat. Decay Date: 2016-09-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 41625 . COSPAR: 2016-042B. Apogee: 376 km (233 mi). Perigee: 289 km (179 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg. Aoxiang Zhixing was the first 12U cubesat, with a mass of 18 kg (33 kg including payload adapter)..

• Aolong 1 - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Decay Date: 2016-08-27 . USAF Sat Cat: 41629 . COSPAR: 2016-042F. Apogee: 367 km (228 mi). Perigee: 198 km (123 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg. Ao Long 1 was an active space debris removal experiment.

• Tiange feixingqi 1 - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Decay Date: 2016-08-27 . USAF Sat Cat: 41636 . COSPAR: 2016-042L. Apogee: 289 km (179 mi). Perigee: 277 km (172 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg. Part of a pair of satellites testing data relay to each other.

• Tiange feixingqi 2 - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Decay Date: 2016-08-24 . USAF Sat Cat: 41637 . COSPAR: 2016-042M. Apogee: 287 km (178 mi). Perigee: 277 km (172 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg.

• ZGZ shiyan zhuangzhi - . Nation: China. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Decay Date: 2016-06-27 . USAF Sat Cat: 41624 . COSPAR: 2016-042A. Apogee: 381 km (236 mi). Perigee: 287 km (178 mi). Inclination: 40.80 deg.

• Shi Jian 17 - . Payload: SJ-17. Nation: China. Class: Communications. Type: Communications satellite. Spacecraft: DFH-4. USAF Sat Cat: 41838 . COSPAR: 2016-065A. Apogee: 35,804 km (22,247 mi). Perigee: 35,771 km (22,227 mi). Inclination: 0.80 deg.

  First launch from Wenchang Space Centre in Hainan. The CZ-5 configuration used four large liquid strapon boosters around a central 5 metre diameter core stage, with a second stage consisting of a stepped cylinder similar in configuration to the Delta 4/H-2A second stages. On this mission a Yuanzheng-2 third stage was also installed. The payload was Shi Jian 17, an experimental communications technology satellite with a secondary experiment to observe orbital debris. After launch at 1243 UTC the CZ-5 second stage achieved a 170 km parking orbit at 1257 UTC. At 1307 UTC the second stage made a six-minute-long second burn to 178 x 29127 km x 19.5 deg. The YZ-2 separated at 1313 UTC and shortly afterwards made a burn to 212 x 35802 km x 19.5 deg. YZ-2 then coasted to apogee and restarted at 1836 UTC to place itself in near geosynchronous orbit. The SJ-17 payload separated at about 1855 UTC into a 35886 x 38811 km x 0.8 deg orbit and drifted around the GEO arc. On Nov 12 it entered a 35771 x 35804 km geostationary orbit over 162.9E.

• Silu-1 - . Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 42903 . COSPAR: 2017-021F. Apogee: 311 km (193 mi). Perigee: 289 km (179 mi). Inclination: 42.77 deg. Period: 90.52 min. See SilkRoad-1 01 (Silu 1). ..

• Tianzhou-1 - . Nation: China. Class: Manned. Type: Manned logistics spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Shenzhou. Spacecraft: Tianzhou. Decay Date: 2017-09-22 . USAF Sat Cat: 42684 . COSPAR: 2017-021A. Apogee: 369 km (229 mi). Perigee: 311 km (193 mi). Inclination: 42.80 deg. Period: 92.36 min.

  See Tianzhou 1 (TZ 1). China's first space station cargo resupply ship. Tianzhou-1 had a mass of 12910 kg. It flew on the second Chang Zheng 7 rocket, launched from Wenchang space centre on Hainan island. Tianzhou-1 docked with the Tiangong-2 space lab, then unoccupied. This mission was mainly for technology development; the Tianzhou frieghters were to be used operationally to resupply China's future large space station. Tianzhou 1 was inserted into a 198 x 372 km x 42.8 deg initial orbit, which was then raised to 311 x 369 km. The second stage ejected the usual four motor separation covers into 200 x 550 km orbits.

• Shi Jian 18 - . Payload: SJ-18. Nation: China. COSPAR: 2017-F03. See SJ 18. ..

• Jilin-1 Shipin 4 - . Payload: LSC Weixing 4; JILIN-01-04. Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 43022 . COSPAR: 2017-074A. Apogee: 543 km (337 mi). Perigee: 532 km (330 mi). Inclination: 97.53 deg. Period: 95.39 min. See Jilin-1 Video-04. ..

• Jilin-1 Shipin 5 - . Payload: LSC Weixing 5; JILIN-01-05. Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 43023 . COSPAR: 2017-074B. Apogee: 543 km (337 mi). Perigee: 532 km (330 mi). Inclination: 97.53 deg. Period: 95.39 min. See Jilin-1 Video-05. ..

• Jilin-1 Shipin 6 - . Payload: LSC Weixing 6; JILIN-01-06. Nation: China. USAF Sat Cat: 43024 . COSPAR: 2017-074C. Apogee: 545 km (338 mi). Perigee: 530 km (320 mi). Inclination: 97.53 deg. Period: 95.39 min. See Jilin-1 Video-06. ..