Throwing CZ-4C (Yaogan-9)

China has thrown today on March 5 to 04:55 UTC a rocket CZ-4C (CZ4C-5) from the ramp number 2 of the complex LA4 of the Center of Throwing of Jiuquan with the satellite of remote observation Yaogan-9. It is a question of the first lazamiento of a CZ-4C from Jiuquan. The official announcement of the throwing took place only one day earlier.
The Yaogan-9 (, "Satellite of Remote Detection nº 8") - named sometimes Yaogan Weixing (weixing it means simply "satellite" in mandarin) - will devote himself to tasks of military recognition. At present one believes that the series Yaogan serves like "cover" for two types of satellites spies: a version electroóptica and other one with radar of synthetic opening. Nevertheless, the images of this throwing show a caul different from the employees in previous missions, what suggests a new version of satellites Yaogan.
Long March CZ-4C () is a version of the rocket Long March with three stages thrown normally from the ramp number 1 of the spatial center of Taiyuan, although in this occasion it has detached from the Center of Jiuquan. It has a mass to the throwing of 254,3 and a few dimensions 45,8 m long and 6,15 m wide (3,35 m without the aerodynamic stabilizers). His capacity is 2800 kg in a low orbit heliosíncrona (SSO) and 1500 in GTO. The first stage of the CZ-4 is the longest of the series with a few dimensions of 24,66 x 3,35 m and a mass of 193,10 t. He uses an engine YF-21C of 2961,6-3190 kN of propulsion and 2556-2754 s of specific impulse. The YF-21C is an engine of four cameras and each of the units receives the designation YF-20C.

Current rockets family Long March (CALT).

Long family Goes. The CZ-4C is the last one for the right.

Scheme of a CZ-4 (CALT).

YF-21C.

Engine YF-21 of a CZ-4C (globalsecurity.org).
The second stage, of 7,52 x 3,35 m and 39,5 t, uses an engine YF-24B with an Isp of approximately 292 s, divided in a principal engine YF-22 (DaFY 20-1) of 742 kN and one vernier with four cameras YF-23 (DaFY 21-1) of 11,8 kN each one. The entire propulsion of the second stage is 789,1 kN.

The second stage of a CZ-4C (CALT).


Scheme of the engine YF-24B (Xinhua/CALT).
The CZ-4C incorporates a third stage of new design. His dimensions are 5,15 x 3,35 m and it weighs 18 t. It has capacity of multiple ignitions and includes a new navigation system. This stage uses an engine YF-40A of two cameras with a propulsion 100,8 kN and a specific impulse of 300 centuries.


image of the third stage with two nozzles of the YF-40A (globalsecurity.org).

Engine YF-40A (CALT).

Cauls of the CZ-4.
The Center of Throwing of Jiuquan () is placed in the Province of Gansu, in desert plenary meeting of Gobi. From this center they detach the CZ-2F with the crewed ships Shenzhou on board. Until there is inaugurated the new center of Wenchang (), Jiuquan is the most modern center of throwing of the country. The facilities are divided in two areas: the dedicated one to the integration of vehicles - in the one that emphasizes the Building of Vertical Assembly, very similar to the American VAB (but smaller) - and other one with two throwing ramps.

Three Chinese cosmodromes in assets: XSLC (Xichang), TSLC (Taiyuan) and JSLC (Jiuquan) (CALT).

The center of Jiuquan seen in Google Earth: to the right two ramps (Google) are seen.

Ramp number two (Google).

Area of integration of Jiuquan (CALT).

Interior of the building of vertical assembly (CALT).




Throwing (CCTV/Xinhua).