LM-3A Carrier Rocket Family Achieved 100 Flights

A LM-3B carrier rocket is putting the 44th BeiDou satellite into orbit Photo: SHI Xiao

At 22:41 Beijing time on April 20, a LM-3B launch vehicle lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center and successfully launched the 44th satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System into its preset orbit. This was the 100th flight of the LM-3A carrier rocket family and the 302nd flight of the Long March series launch vehicle.

The LM-3A series launch vehicle was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, including LM-3A,

LM-3B and LM-3C liquid launch vehicles,which were evolved from LM-3.

The LM-3A carrier rocket completed its maiden launch with success on February 8, 1994. Since then, the LM-3A series of launch vehicles completed the first 50 launches in 18 years and the second 50 flights in only 7 years, thus playing a key role in providing launch services for projects including communications satellites, lunar exploration, BeiDou navigation satellites, High-resolution Earth observation satellites, FY meteorological satellites and international commercial satellites. According to JIANG Jie, Chief Designer of the LM-3A series launch vehicle, the LM-3A family has conducted almost all the spacecraft launch missions of China to high orbit, and becomes the main work horse capable of carrying out high density launches. It is a launch vehicle family with the largest launch capacity, the most complicated technology and the most adaptability among the Chinese medium and high-orbit launch vehicles in service and has conducted the most flight missions with the highest launch density.

The BeiDou navigation satellite launched this time was the first one of the BeiDou 3 IGSO satellites, which was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology. It will operate networking with the previous launched 19 BeiDou 3 satellites, which will further improve the coverage and service performance of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. (MIAO Shanshan/China Space News)

The LM-3B Launch Vehicle is Prepared for Launch