| Function: | Carrier rocket | ||||
| Manufacturer: | CALT | ||||
| Country-Origin: | China | ||||
| Status: | Retired | ||||
| Sites: | LA-7, TSLC | ||||
| Height: | 41.9m (137.5feet)[1] | ||||
| Diameter: | 3.35m (10.99feet) | ||||
| Mass: | 249000kg (549,000lb) | ||||
| Stages: | 3 | ||||
| Launches: | 2 | ||||
| Success: | 2 | ||||
| First: | 6 September 1988 | ||||
| Last: | 3 September 1990 | ||||
| Capacities: |
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| Family: | Long March | ||||
| Derivatives: | Long March 4B |
The Long March 4A, also known as the Changzheng 4A, CZ-4A and LM-4A, sometimes misidentified as the Long March 4 due to the lack of any such designated rocket, was a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It was launched from Launch Area 7 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It was a three-stage rocket, used for two launches in 1988 and 1990. On its maiden flight, on 6 September 1988, it placed the FY-1A weather satellite into orbit. On its second, and final, flight it launched another weather satellite, FY-1B.
A month after the launch of FY-1B, the third-stage of the CZ-4A launch vehicle exploded in a 895 x 880 km orbit, creating more than 100 pieces of space debris.[3] This incident led to a redesign of the rocket to include a residual propellant venting system. A venting system was not included in the 4A because of the concern that it would damage the satellite.
It was replaced by a derivative, the Long March 4B, which first flew in 1999. The Long March 4B offers a more powerful third stage, and a larger payload fairing.
See main article: List of Long March launches.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight No. | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Result |
| 1 | September 6, 1988 20:30 | LA-7, TSLC | Fengyun 1A | SSO | |
| 2 | September 3, 1990 00:53 | LA-7, TSLC | Fengyun 1B | SSO | |