List of Long March launches (1990–1999)

This is a list of launches made by the Long March rocket family between 1990 and 1999.

Launch statistics

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Launch history

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1990

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
4 February 1990
12:28
Long March 3 F-06 Xichang LA-3 Successful
Chinasat-3 (DFH-2A-T4) Geosynchronous transfer Communication
7 April 1990
13:30
Long March 3 F-07 Xichang LA-3 Successful
AsiaSat 1 Geosynchronous transfer AsiaSat Communication
First Chinese orbital launch for a foreign customer
16 July 1990
00:40
Long March 2E F-01 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Optus-B mass simulator Low Earth Flight testing
Badr A Low Earth Technology
Maiden flight of Long March 2E.
3 September 1990
00:53
Long March 4A F-02 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Fengyun-1B Sun synchronous Meteorology
Final flight of Long March 4A.
5 October 1990
06:14
Long March 2C F-09 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-1 No.3 Low Earth Reconnaissance

1991

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
28 December 1991
12:00
Long March 3 F-08 Xichang LA-3 Partial failure
Chinasat-4 (DFH-2A-T5) Geosynchronous transfer Communication
Satellite left in unusable orbit due to the third stage shutting down earlier than planned.[1]

1992

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
9 August 1992
08:00
Long March 2D F-01 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-2 No.1 Low Earth Reconnaissance
Maiden flight of Long March 2D.
13 August 1992
23:00
Long March 2E/Star-63F F-02 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Optus-B1 Geosynchronous transfer AUSSAT Communication
6 October 1992
06:20
Long March 2C F-10 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-1 No.4 Low Earth Reconnaissance
Freja Low Earth Swedish Space Corporation Technology
21 December 1992
11:21
Long March 2E/Star-63F F-03 Xichang LA-2 Partial failure
Optus-B2 Geosynchronous transfer (planned) AUSSAT Communication
Structural failure of payload fairing 48 seconds after launch, destroying the satellite, whose debris went on to reach the correct orbit.[2]

1993

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
8 October 1993
08:00
Long March 2C F-11 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-1 No.5 Low Earth Reconnaissance

1994

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
8 February 1994
08:34
Long March 3A F-01 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Shijian 4 Geosynchronous transfer Magnetosphere research
Kuafu-1 (DFH-3 mass simulator) Geosynchronous transfer Flight testing
Maiden flight of Long March 3A.
3 July 1994
08:00
Long March 2D F-02 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-2 No.2 Low Earth Reconnaissance
21 July 1994
10:55
Long March 3 F-09 Xichang LA-3 Successful
Apstar 1 Geosynchronous transfer Apstar Communication
27 August 1994
23:10
Long March 2E/Star-63F F-04 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Optus-B3 Geosynchronous transfer AUSSAT Communication
29 November 1994
17:02
Long March 3A F-02 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Chinasat-5 Geosynchronous transfer Communication
Satellite failed to reach the operational orbit due to a propellant leak in GTO.[1]

1995

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
25 January 1995
22:40
Long March 2E/Star-63F F-05 Xichang LA-2 Failure
Apstar 2 Geosynchronous transfer (planned) Apstar Communication
Payload fairing collapsed due to structural deficiency, aggravated by excessive vibration caused by wind shear.[2]
28 November 1995
11:30
Long March 2E/EPKM F-06 Xichang LA-2 Partial failure
AsiaSat 2 Geosynchronous transfer AsiaSat Communication
Excessive acceleration during the launch knocked the antenna feed horns out of alignment, reducing the coverage area of the Ku band transponders.[3] AsiaSat filed a satellite insurance claim for $58 million.[4]
28 December 1995
11:50
Long March 2E/EPKM F-07 Xichang LA-2 Successful
EchoStar 1 Geosynchronous transfer EchoStar Communication

1996

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
14 February 1996
19:01
Long March 3B F-01 Xichang LA-2 Failure
Intelsat 708 Geosynchronous transfer (planned) Intelsat Communication
Maiden flight of Long March 3B. Guidance platform short-circuited right at liftoff, leading to loss of attitude control.[1] The vehicle hit the ground at T+23 seconds and exploded, killing at least 6 people on the ground.[5]
3 July 1996
10:47
Long March 3 F-10 Xichang LA-3 Successful
Apstar 1A Geosynchronous transfer Apstar Communication
18 August 1996
10:27
Long March 3 F-11 Xichang LA-3 Partial failure
Chinasat-7 Geosynchronous transfer Communication
Third stage engine shut down 48 seconds too early.[1]
20 October 1996
07:20
Long March 2D F-03 Jiuquan LA-2/138 Successful
FSW-2 No.3 Low Earth Reconnaissance

1997

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
11 May 1997
16:17
Long March 3A F-03 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Chinasat-6 Geosynchronous transfer Communication
10 June 1997
12:01
Long March 3 F-12 Xichang LA-3 Successful
Fengyun-2A Geosynchronous transfer Meteorology
19 August 1997
17:50
Long March 3B F-02 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Agila-2 Geosynchronous transfer Mabuhay Communication
1 September 1997
14:00
Long March 2C / SD F-12 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium mass simulator A Low Earth Flight testing
Iridium mass simulator B Low Earth Flight testing
16 October 1997
19:13
Long March 3B F-03 Xichang LA-2 Successful
Apstar 2R Geosynchronous transfer Apstar Communication
8 December 1997
07:16
Long March 2C / SD F-13 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 42 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 44 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication

1998

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
25 March 1998
17:01
Long March 2C / SD F-14 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 51 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 61 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
2 May 1998
09:16
Long March 2C / SD F-15 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 69 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 71 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
30 May 1998
10:00
Long March 3B F-04 Xichang LA-2 Successful
ChinaStar 1 Geosynchronous transfer China Orient Telecommunications Satellite Co. Communication
18 July 1998
09:20
Long March 3B F-05 Xichang LA-2 Successful
SinoSat 1 Geosynchronous transfer Sino Satellite Communications Communication
19 August 1998
23:01
Long March 2C / SD F-16 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 76 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 78 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
19 December 1998
11:39
Long March 2C / SD F-17 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 88 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 89 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication

1999

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Date/time (UTC) Rocket Serial number Launch site Outcome
Payload Separation orbit Operator Function
Remarks
10 May 1999
01:33
Long March 4B F-01 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Fengyun-1C Sun synchronous Meteorology
Shijian 5 Sun synchronous Technology
Maiden flight of Long March 4B.
11 June 1999
17:15
Long March 2C / SD F-18 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
Iridium 92 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
Iridium 93 Low Earth Iridium Communications Inc. Communication
14 October 1999
03:15
Long March 4B F-02 Taiyuan LA-7 Successful
CBERS-1 Sun synchronous Earth observation
SACI 1 Sun synchronous INPE Technology
19 November 1999
22:30
Long March 2F F-01 Jiuquan LA-4/SLS-1 Successful
Shenzhou 1 Low Earth Technology
Maiden flight of Long March 2F.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Kyle, Ed. "China Launch Vehicle Flight History - Comprehensive Orbital Failure List". Space Launch Report. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b "The Cox Report: Chapter 5". The Washington Post. 25 May 1999. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  3. ^ "CZ-2E Space Launch Vehicle". GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Ku Transponder Shortfall Prompts AsiaSat Claim". Aviation Week & Space Technology. 23 September 1996. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. ^ Lan, Chen. "Mist around the CZ-3B disaster, part 1". The Space Review. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2014.

Sources

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