Long March Rockets Achieve Three Launches in One Day

At 23:08 on December 9, a Long March 3B carrier rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, successfully placing an experiment satellite, the Communication Technology Demonstrator 22, into orbit.

This marked the third successful launch by China’s Long March series on the same day, following earlier launches by the Long March 6A rocket before dawn from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province and the Long March 4B rocket around noon from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the experiment satellite will transmit communication signals, relay radio and television programs, and conduct technological tests and verification.

The Long March 3B, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a CASC subsidiary, is one of China’s first rockets capable of cross-parallel testing and launch control systems for pads, enabling efficient handover between consecutive missions and  enhancing launch-site efficiency.

Amid intensive launch operations, all three teams upheld strict quality and safety standards. The Long March 6A team in Shanxi conducted targeted checks for winter temperatures, the Long March 4B team in Inner Mongolia overcame severe cold and strong winds through precise coordination, and the Long March 3B team in Sichuan leveraged dual-pad parallel testing for efficient and reliable execution.

The midnight launch of the Long March 3B rocket in Sichuan marks the 615th mission of the Long March carrier rocket family.