Long March 6A

Launch vehicle

Long March 6A

Rendering of Long March 6A

Function| Medium-lift launch vehicle
Manufacturer| Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
Country of origin| China
Size
Height| 50 m (160 ft)
52 m (171 ft) with extended fairing
Diameter| 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass| 530,000 kg (1,170,000 lb)
Stages| 2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass| 8,000 kg (18,000 lb)[1]
Payload to 500 km (310 mi) SSO
Mass| 6,500 kg (14,300 lb)[2]
Payload to 700 km (430 mi) SSO
Mass| 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)
Associated rockets
Family| Long March
Comparable| Antares
Soyuz-2
Launch history
Status| Active
Launch sites| Taiyuan, LA-9A
Total launches| 10
Success(es)| 10
First flight| 29 March 2022
Last flight| 23 January 2025
Boosters – FG-112
No. boosters| 4
Height| 15.1 m (50 ft)
Diameter| 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in)
Maximum thrust| 1,214 kN (273,000 lbf)
Total thrust| 4,828 kN (1,085,000 lbf)
Propellant| solid
First stage
Height| 30.5 m (100 ft)
Diameter| 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Powered by| 2 × YF-100
Maximum thrust| 2,376 kN (534,000 lbf) [3]
Specific impulse|

* SL: 300 s (2.9 km/s)
* vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)[4]

Propellant| RP-1/LOX
Second stage
Diameter| 3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Powered by| 1 × YF-115
Maximum thrust| 180 kN (40,000 lbf)[3]
Specific impulse| vac: 341.5 s (3.349 km/s)[5]
Propellant| RP-1/LOX

[edit on Wikidata]

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 medium-lift launch vehicle in the Long March family, which was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) [6] and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).

The vehicle is a further development of the Long March 6, with two YF-100 engines on the first stage as opposed to one on the Long March 6, augmented by four solid rocket boosters. The Long March 6A is China's first rocket with solid rocket boosters. There also exists a shorter boosterless variant of the 6A called the Long March 6C.

The maiden launch of the Long March 6A took place on March 29, 2022, successfully reaching orbit.[7] It was also the first launch from the newly built launch complex 9A in Taiyuan.

## Launch statistics

[edit]

2022

2023

2024

2025

* Failure
* Partial failure
* Success
* Planned

## List of launches

[edit]

Main article: List of Long March launches

Flight number  | Serial number  | Date (UTC)  | Launch site  | Payload  | Orbit  | Result

|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | Y1  | 29 March 2022
09:50[7] | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Pujiang-2
Tiankun-2 | SSO | Success
2  | Y2  | 11 November 2022
22:52  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Yunhai-3 01  | 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
5  | Y3  | 26 March 2024
22:51  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Yunhai-3 02  | SSO | Success
6  | Y7  | 4 July 2024
22:49  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Tianhui 5C
Tianhui 5D  | SSO | Success
7  | Y21  | 6 August 2024
06:42  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 01)  | Polar | Success
8  | Y20  | 15 October 2024
11:06  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 02)  | Polar | Success
9  | Y22  | 5 December 2024
04:41  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 03)  | Polar | Success
10  | Y6  | 23 January 2025
05:15  | Taiyuan, LA-9A | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 06)  | Polar | Success

## Mishaps

[edit]

After the release of the Yunhai 3 following the Y2 launch of 11 November 2022, the Long March 6's upper stage broke up into more than 50 pieces of debris, which expanded to more than 781 pieces. The vehicle was supposed to re-enter in one piece and then burn up. [8][9] Following the November 2022 breakup, similar events were observed after the 26 March 2024, 4 July 2024, and 6 August 2024 launches. The reason for the break ups are unclear, but may be related to upper stage passivation or insulation.[10][11]

## See also

[edit]

* Spaceflight portal
* China portal

* Comparison of orbital launchers families
* Comparison of orbital launch systems

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "[Technology·Aerospace] Long March 6A carrier rocket and its technical features!". 2022-06-26. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
2. ^ "[The Paper] 18 satellites in one launch! Successful launch !". 2025-01-23. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
3. ^ a b ZHANG Wei-dong, WANG Dong-bao (2016). "New Generation Cryogenic Quick Launching Launch Vehicle and Development". Aerospace Shanghai.
4. ^ "Chinese YF-100 (Russian RD-120) to Power CZ-5". SPACEPAC, The Space Public Affairs Committee. Archived from the original on 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
5. ^ "中国新一代液氧煤油发动机3：YF100/115主要特性 - 深空网". www.shenkong.net (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
6. ^ "Development of China's new "Changzheng 6" carrier rocket commences". People's Daily Online. 2009-09-04. Retrieved 6 September 2009.
7. ^ a b Beil, Adrian (29 March 2022). "China debuts Chang Zheng 6A, teases more variants". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
8. ^ Jones, Andrew (14 November 2022). "Chinese rocket body breaks up in orbit after successful satellite launch". Space.com. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
9. ^ "Evolution of Major Debris Clouds in Low Earth Orbit" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
10. ^ Jones, Andrew (2024-07-12). "China's Long March 6A rocket appears to have an orbital debris problem". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-08-08.
11. ^ @S4S_SDA (7 August 2024). "#S4S has confirmed the breakup of a Chinese Long March 6A rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China, on Aug. 7, 2024. Analysis ongoing. #spacedebris #SDA @SpaceTrackOrg @US_SpaceCom" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 August 2024 - via Twitter.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

* v
* t
* e

Long March (rocket family)

Rockets|

* Feng Bao 1
* Long March 1
* 1D
* Long March 2
* 2A
* 2C
* 2D
* 2E
* 2F
* Long March 3
* 3A
* 3B
* 3B/E
* 3C
* Long March 4
* 4A
* 4B
* 4C
* Long March 5
* 5B
* Long March 6
* 6A
* 6C
* Long March 7
* 7A
* Long March 8
* 8A
* Long March 9
* Long March 10
* Long March 11
* 11H
* Long March 12

Launch sites|

* Jiuquan
* Taiyuan
* Wenchang
* Commercial
* Xichang

Manufacturers|

* China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology
* Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology

Designers|

Wang Xiji

* List of Long March launches

* v
* t
* e

Chinese launch systems

Sounding rockets|

* T-7
* OS-XO

Orbital launch vehicles|

| Active|

* Ceres
* 1
* 1S
* Gravity-1
* Hyperbola-1
* Jielong
* 1
* 3
* Kaituozhe 2
* Kuaizhou
* 1
* 1A
* 11
* Kinetica 1
* Long March
* CZ-2C
* 2D
* 2F
* 3A
* 3B/E
* 3C
* 4B
* 4C
* 5
* 5B
* 6
* 6A
* 6C
* 7
* 7A
* 8
* 11
* 11H
* 12
* OS-M1
* Tianlong-2
* Zhuque
* 2

|

In development|

* Gravity-2
* Hyperbola-2
* Kuaizhou
* 21
* 31
* Long March
* 9
* 10
* Naga-L
* Nebula 1
* New Line 1
* OS-M2
* OS-M4
* Pallas
* 1
* 2
* Tianlong-3
* Zhuque
* 3

Retired|

* Feng Bao 1
* Kaituozhe-1
* Long March
* CZ-1
* 1D
* 2A
* 2E
* 3
* 3B
* 4A
* Zhuque
* 1

* v
* t
* e

Orbital launch systems

* List of orbital launch systems
* Comparison of orbital launch systems

Current|

* Angara
* 1.2
* A5
* Ariane 6
* Atlas V
* Ceres
* 1
* 1S
* Chollima-1
* Electron
* Falcon 9 Block 5
* Falcon Heavy
* Firefly Alpha
* Gravity-1
* GSLV
* H-IIA
* H3
* Hyperbola-1
* Jielong
* 1
* 3
* KAIROS†
* Kaituozhe 2
* Kinetica 1
* Kuaizhou
* 1
* 1A
* 11
* Long March
* 2C
* 2D
* 2F
* 3A
* 3B/E
* 3C
* 4B
* 4C
* 5
* 5B
* 6
* 6A
* 6C
* 7
* 7A
* 8
* 11
* 11H
* 12
* LVM3
* Minotaur
* I
* IV
* V
* C
* New Glenn
* Nuri
* OS-M1†
* Pegasus XL
* Proton-M
* PSLV
* Qaem 100
* Qased
* Shavit 2
* Simorgh
* SLS
* Block 1
* Soyuz-2
* 2.1a / STA
* 2.1b / STB
* 2-1v
* SSLV
* Starship
* Tianlong-2
* Unha
* Vega
* C
* Vulcan Centaur
* Zhuque
* 2

In development|

* Antares 330
* Bloostar
* Blue Whale 1
* Cyclone-4M
* Deca
* Epsilon S
* Eris
* Gravity-2
* HANBIT-NANO
* Hyperbola-2
* Irtysh
* KSLV-III
* Kuaizhou
* 21
* 31
* Long March
* 9
* 10
* Miura 5
* MLV
* Neutron
* New Line 1
* NGLV
* Nova
* OS-M
* 2
* 4
* Orbex Prime
* Pallas-1
* Red Dwarf
* SLS
* Block 1B
* Block 2
* Soyuz-7
* Terran R
* Tianlong-3
* VLM
* Vega E
* Zero
* Zhuque
* 3
* Zuljanah

Retired|

* Antares
* 110
* 120
* 130†
* 230
* 230+
* Ariane
* 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* ASLV
* Athena
* I
* II
* Atlas
* B
* D
* E/F
* G
* H
* I
* II
* III
* LV-3B
* SLV-3
* Able†
* Agena
* Centaur
* Black Arrow
* Conestoga†
* Delta
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* G
* J
* L
* M
* N
* 0100
* 1000
* 2000
* 3000
* 4000
* 5000
* II
* III
* IV
* IV Heavy
* Diamant
* Dnepr
* Energia
* Epsilon
* Europa
* I†
* II†
* Falcon 1
* Falcon 9
* v1.0
* v1.1
* v1.2 "Full Thrust"
* Feng Bao 1
* GSLV
* Mk I
* H-I
* H-II
* H-IIB
* Juno I
* Juno II
* Kaituozhe-1
* Kosmos
* original
* 1
* 2/2I
* 3
* 3M
* Lambda
* 4S
* LauncherOne
* Long March
* 1
* 1D†
* 2A
* 2E
* 3
* 3B
* 4A
* Mu
* 4S
* 3C
* 3H
* 3S
* 3SII
* V
* N1†
* N-I
* N-II
* Naro-1
* Paektusan†
* Pilot-2†
* R-7
* Luna
* Molniya
* M
* L
* Polyot
* Soyuz
* original
* FG
* L
* M
* U
* U2
* Soyuz/Vostok
* Sputnik
* Voskhod
* Vostok
* L
* K
* 2
* 2M
* R-29
* Shtil'
* Volna†
* Rocket 3
* RS1†
* Safir
* 1
* 1A
* 1B
* Saturn
* I
* IB
* V
* Scout
* X-1
* Blue Scout II†
* X-2†
* X-2M
* X-3
* X-3M
* X-4
* X-2B†
* B
* A
* B-1
* D-1
* A-1
* E-1
* F-1
* G-1
* Shavit
* original
* 1
* SLV
* Space Shuttle
* SPARK†
* Sparta
* SS-520
* Start-1
* Terran 1†
* Thor
* Able
* Ablestar
* 1
* 2
* Agena
* A
* B
* D
* Burner
* 1
* 2
* Delta
* DSV-2U
* Thorad-Agena
* SLV-2G
* SLV-2H
* Titan
* II GLV
* IIIA
* IIIB
* IIIC
* IIID
* IIIE
* 34D
* 23G
* CT-3
* IV
* Tsyklon
* R-36-O
* original
* 2
* 3
* Universal Rocket
* UR-500 Proton
* Proton-K
* Rokot
* Strela
* Vanguard
* Vega
* original
* VLS-1†
* Zenit
* 2
* 2M
* 2FG
* 3SL
* 3SLB
* 3F
* Zhuque
* 1†

Classes|

* Sounding rocket
* Small-lift launch vehicle
* Medium-lift launch vehicle
* Heavy-lift launch vehicle
* Super heavy-lift launch vehicle

* This template lists historical, current, and future space rockets that at least once attempted (but not necessarily succeeded in) an orbital launch or that are planned to attempt such a launch in the future
* Symbol † indicates past or current rockets that attempted orbital launches but never succeeded (never did or has yet to perform a successful orbital launch)

*[SL]: at sea level
*[vac]: in vacuum
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