Considered one of China’s biggest rockets flew again this Wednesday. Chang Zheng 3B/E successfully launched the Beidou-3 G4 payload at 2:49 AM UTC. The launch was conducted from launch complex 2 of the China Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). That is already the third flight of the huge first-generation launcher.
Beidou-3 G4 is a geostationary Earth orbit satellite a part of the Chinese Beidou satellite navigation constellation. They supply high-accuracy and high-reliability positioning and timing service across the globe with their DFH-3 bus-based architecture.
The primary launch of a Beidou satellite happened in October 2000 with the launch of the Beidou test satellite on a Chang Zheng 3A. Since then, over 50 more satellites have been launched.
![](https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/008iSM7gly1he1866ppsnj336o4s07wm-scaled.jpg)
CZ-3B/E on LC-2. (Credit: CASC)
Beidou has been operating globally and is, since April 2022, also open for personal users with an accuracy of 4.4 meters. It will probably also support timekeeping with an accuracy of a minimum of 20 nanoseconds and determine pace with a minimum accuracy of 20 cm/s.
Since December 2018, the system has been working under the designation of Beidou-3, supported by the previous Beidou-2 satellites and the already launched Beidou-3 satellites that began operation in November 2017.
Considered one of the Beidou constellation’s signature projects is its use in agriculture systems. This method is used to steer machinery from space and, with this, make farming more efficient.
The third generation of satellites have a mass of about 4,600 kg each and are equipped with a small propulsion system for final orbital insertion. This specific satellite was almost certainly a spare satellite out of the initial launches for the third generation, which was also now deployed. These satellites shall be a part of a reserve that may start operation at any time when needed.
The rocket for this launch was Chang Zheng 3 B/E, also often called the 3B/G2. It’s an upgraded Chang Zheng 3B rocket with next-generation liquid rocket boosters and an upgraded center stage. It will probably lift 11,500 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 5,500 to the geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). It’s a heavy-lift rocket only used for very massive payloads. Often, experimental, technology demonstrators and position satellites fit this criterion.
It was also used for signature missions, reminiscent of the Change 3 lunar lander landing in December 2013. Over time, more big flagship missions have been transferred to more modern Chinese rockets, reminiscent of Chang Zheng 5, with the previous couple of years’ launch of space station modules.
The 8 engines of the Long March 3B roars as hydrazine & dinitrogen tetraoxide flows through those engines: https://t.co/GN64BsetAP pic.twitter.com/dcd0EmaqtX
— Cosmic Penguin (@Cosmic_Penguin) May 17, 2023
The rocket is built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and stands 56 meters tall with a liftoff mass of about 457,970kg. It’s a modifiable rocket with an optional fourth stage if the mission needs an extra kick stage. Nevertheless, this capability is never used or utilized for this launch.
While not confirmed, blue tape across the Chang Zheng 3B boosters could indicate one other parachute test to land these boosters safely. This might not lead to recovery and reuse but mitigate the changes of the cores hitting villages and populated areas at high speed. The tape was spotted around one in all the 4 side liquid boosters.
At liftoff, the rocket contains a thrust of about six mN, provided by the YF-20 engines attached to the middle stage and the 4 side boosters.
Chinese Raptor tested
The Chinese full-flow staged combustion engine, heavily inspired by Raptor of SpaceX, was tested on May 12 on the Baolongyu 902-1 test stand. This 200 tons thrust engine relies on methalox and shall be featured on future Chinese rockets, reminiscent of Chang Zheng 9. The engine also received its name, which is YF-215.
Not much is thought about this latest rocket engine, however the specifications show similarities to SpaceX Raptor engines. It isn’t expected to fly before the 2030s, but with it already being tested, that plan might change through the years.
👀 The “Chinese Raptor”, 200t-thrust full flow staged combustion cycle methalox engine developed by CASC, is reportedly named YF-215https://t.co/x0Od9WVBXs https://t.co/ZSkmrbVBJH pic.twitter.com/DOTed3fcIY
— China ‘N Asia Spaceflight 🚀🛰️🙏 (@CNSpaceflight) May 16, 2023
Chang Zheng 9 is a super-heavy lift rocket developed by China for the 2030s. Down the road, the rocket will feature Falcon-9-like first-stage reusability and even Starship-like second-stage reusability. The primary stage shall be powered by 30 of those YF-215 engines and have about 3420 tons of propellant. Overall, the rocket is planned to be 114 meters tall with a diameter of 10.6 meters.
Industrial Resupply to the Chinese Space Station
China has released criteria for firms to use to a business resupply program for the Tiangong Space Station. In the standards, the federal government asks for a minimum of 1.8 tons of pressurized capability, a minimum of three months of docking, lower than 30 days of launch preparation, and more criteria regarding trash capability and internal volume.
Currently, the resupply is finished by the government-operated and owned Tianzhou missions, but this means that China wants to maneuver away from a completely government-operated business. This is a component of China’s initiative to work with more private firms for space endeavors. This can be seen within the launch market, as an increasing number of private firms try to achieve orbit in China to support government launch demands.
ZhuQue-2 launch date
In line with Chinese media, the launch of the second ZhuQue-2 has a current goal date of “Mid to late June.” The primary Chinese methalox engine failed to achieve orbit just months ago, because the rocket’s third stage misbehaved in the ultimate stages of the flight. The rocket for the second flight was transported to the business pad at Jiuquan. Harry Stranger recently spotted the vertical pathfinder of the rocket for checkouts as the corporate prepares the ultimate steps for the launch campaign.
Imagery taken at 03:13 UTC today show’s the ZQ-2 pathfinder now horizontal once more, hopefully preparing for rollback ahead of flight 2.
On the CAS-SPACE pad, LC-130, there may be more hangar movement ahead of the following launch of Lijian-1. pic.twitter.com/yrWVPISSDq
— Harry Stranger (@Harry__Stranger) May 15, 2023
This pathfinder moved to a horizontal configuration just days ago, which could mean the corporate finished this a part of testing and is lowering the rocket in preparation to place the actual flight rocket there.