CALT / CASC · China · First flight 1996
China's primary GTO launch vehicle, used extensively for BeiDou navigation satellite deployment. Features four strap-on liquid boosters and a cryogenic third stage.
From SpaceNexus's launch tracker (tracked since Dec 3, 2024); outcomes recorded as each flight lands. Career totals above are the vehicle's full history.
| Height | 56.33 m |
| Diameter | 3.35 m |
| Liftoff mass | 458,970 kg |
| Stages | 3 |
| Engines | 4x YF-21C + 4x YF-25 (boosters) + 1x YF-24E + 2x YF-75 |
| Propellant | UDMH/N2O4 + LH2/LOX (3rd stage) |
| Fairing diameter | 4.2 m |
| Payload to LEO | 11,500 kg |
| Payload to GTO | 5,500 kg |
| Payload to SSO | — |
| Payload to TLI | — |
| Reusable | No |
| First flight | 1996-02-15 |
| Last flight | Active |
| Variants seen on the manifest | Long March 3B/E |
A dedicated Long March 3B/E launch lists at roughly $70 million, about $6,087 per kilogram to low Earth orbit at full payload. Actual contract prices vary with orbit, integration and government requirements.
No Long March 3B/E launch is currently on the tracked manifest.
Long March 3B/E has flown 97 times with 93 successes, 3 failures and 1 partial failures — a 95.9% success rate, with 50 consecutive successes at last count.
11,500 kg to low Earth orbit, 5,500 kg to geostationary transfer orbit.