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Long March 6A | Yaogan 40 Group 04

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation · Long March 6A

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

Launch window 08:38–09:04 UTC.

The mission

3 Chinese reconnaissance satellites of unknown purposes, officially reported as for "Electromagnetic environment probing".

Vehicle and site

Rocket

Long March 6A

Family

Long March

Mission

Yaogan 40 Group 04

Mission type

Government/Top Secret

Pad

Launch Complex 9A

Location

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Coordinates

38.8583°, 111.5802°

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

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

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.

Launches to date

618

Successful

602

Failed

16

Consecutive successes

9

Schedule from Launch Library 2, rebuilt hourly. Dates slip: a time given to the minute is a target, not a promise, and this page reflects the schedule as it stood at the last build. All upcoming launches.