Long March 4A

CZ-4A

Mission Profile

Long March 4A (CZ-4A) was a Chinese three-stage orbital launch vehicle developed as a modification of the Long March 3 design, using storable propellants throughout all three stages to eliminate the need for cryogenic liquid hydrogen infrastructure. Standing 41.9 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 241,000 kg and generating 2,962 kN of thrust, it could deliver 4,000 kg to low Earth orbit. Making its maiden flight in September 1988 as the launch vehicle for China's first meteorological satellite, the Long March 4A established a new branch of the Long March family optimized for polar and sun-synchronous orbits. Its success paved the way for the Long March 4B and 4C, which became China's primary vehicles for Earth observation satellite deployments.