Long March 4C

The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C, CZ-4C and LM-4C, previously designated Long March 4B-II, is a Chinese orbital launch vehicle. It is launched from the Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang Satellite Launch Centers, and consists of 3 stages.

Long March 4C vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite. On 15 December 2009, a Long March 4C was used to launch Yaogan-8.

Because it was still designated as Long March 4B-II at the time of its maiden flight, the first launch is often mistaken for a Long March 4B. The Long March 4C is derived from the Long March 4B, but features a restartable upper stage, and a larger payload fairing.

The booster is an upgraded design of the Long March 4B booster with the second stage engines modified to be capable of being restarted in space. In addition to using the enlarged Long March 4B payload shroud beefed up structural rings were added at the base of the first stage and second stage. Environmental inter-stage covers were also added that are jettisoned at launch.

This modified performance capability has given it a 4,200 kilogram low earth orbit insertion capability as well as a 900 kilometer sun-synchronous orbit 2,800 kilogram payload capacity. It also has a 1,500 kilograms capability to GTO. It primary mission like the CZ-4A and CZ-4B is for sun-synchronous orbital insertion missions.