Engineering:Long March 6A

Short description: Launch vehicle

Long March 6A

The moment of the ignition of CZ-6A Y1
Function	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	50 m (160 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass	530,000 kg (1,170,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to 700 km (430 mi) SSO	4,500 kg (9,900 lb)
Associated rockets
Family	Long March
Comparable	Antares Soyuz-2
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Taiyuan LA-9A
Total launches	4
Successes	4
First flight	29 March 2022
Last flight	31 October 2023
Boosters
No. boosters	4
Diameter	2.0 m (6 ft 7 in)
Thrust	1,214 kN (273,000 lbf)
Total thrust	4,828 kN (1,085,000 lbf)
Fuel	solid
First stage
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines	2 YF-100
Thrust	2,376 kN (534,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	300 seconds (sea level) 335 seconds (vacuum)
Fuel	RP-1/LOX
Second stage
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines	1 YF-115
Thrust	180 kN (40,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	341.5 seconds (vacuum)
Fuel	RP-1/LOX

The Long March 6A (Chinese: 长征六号甲运载火箭) or Chang Zheng 6A as in pinyin, abbreviated LM 6A for export or CZ 6A within China, is a Chinese launch vehicle of the Long March family, which was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).

The vehicle is a further development of the Long March 6, with 2 YF-100 engines on the first stage as opposed to 1 on the Long March 6, augmented by 4 solid rocket boosters. The Long March 6A is China's first rocket with solid rocket boosters.

The maiden launch of the Long March 6A took place on March 29, 2022, successfully reaching orbit. It was also the first launch from the newly built launch complex 9A in Taiyuan.

List of launches

Flight number	Serial number	Date (UTC)	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Result
1	Y1	29 March 2022 09:50	Taiyuan, LA-9A	Pujiang-2 Tiankun-2	SSO	Success
2	Y2	11 November 2022 22:52	Taiyuan, LA-9A	Yunhai-3	SSO	Success
3	Y5	10 September 2023 04:30	Taiyuan, LA-9A	Yaogan 40A Yaogan 40B Yaogan 40C	LEO	Success
4	Y4	31 October 2023 22:50	Taiyuan, LA-9A	Tianhui 5A Tianhui 5B	SSO	Success

Mishaps

After the release of the Yunhai 3 following the Y2 launch of 11 November 2022, the Long March 6's upper stage exploded and broke into more than 50 pieces of debris, which expanded to more than 350 pieces. The vehicle was supposed to re-enter in one piece and then burn up and it's unclear why it exploded instead.

See also

• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems