Long March 3C

{{More sources|date=February 2025}}{{short description|Chinese orbital carrier rocket}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox rocket

| image = CZ-3C rendering.jpg

| caption = Rendering of Long March 3C

| function = Launch vehicle

| manufacturer = CALT

| country-origin = China

| status = Active

| sites = XSLC, LA-2 and LA-3

| height = {{plainlist|

• 3C: {{cvt|54.8|m}} {{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz3c.htm|title=CZ-3C|first=Mark|last=Wade|publisher=Encyclopedia Astronautica|access-date=2008-04-26|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601181331/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz3c.htm|archive-date=2008-06-01}}
• 3C/E: {{cvt|55.64|m}} {{Cite web|url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2105|title=Long March 3C/E | Tianlian 1D|access-date=21 January 2021|archive-date=28 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128041648/https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/2105|url-status=live}}

}}

| diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

| mass = {{cvt|345000|kg}}

| stages = 3

| launches = {{flatlist|

• 19
• 3C: 12
• 3C/E: 7

}}

| success = {{flatlist|

• 19
• 3C: 12
• 3C/E: 7

}}

| first = {{plainlist|

• 3C: 25 April 2008
• 3C/E: 23 October 2014

}}

| last = {{plainlist|

• 3C: 1 February 2016
• 3C/E: 12 May 2025 }}

|payloads = {{flatlist|Chang'e 2, Chang'e 5-T1

}}

| capacities =

{{Infobox Rocket/Payload

| location = LEO

| kilos = 3C: {{cvt|8000|kg}} {{Cite web|url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/5165|title=Long March 3C | Chang'e 2|access-date=21 January 2021|archive-date=3 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203220336/https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/5165|url-status=live}}
3C/E: {{cvt|8000|kg}}

}}

{{Infobox Rocket/Payload

| location = GTO

| kilos = 3C: {{cvt|3800|kg}} {{cite web|url=http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/Download/manual/LM-3A%20Series%20Launch%20Vehicles%20User%27s%20Manual%20Issue%202011.pdf|title=LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011|publisher=China Great Wall Industries Corporation|access-date=2015-08-09|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220124025/http://www.cgwic.com/LaunchServices/Download/manual/LM-3A%20Series%20Launch%20Vehicles%20User%27s%20Manual%20Issue%202011.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/cz-3c.htm|title=CZ-3C (Chang Zheng-3C)|author=Gunter Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2008-04-26|archive-date=28 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128005847/http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/cz-3c.htm|url-status=live}}
3C/E: {{cvt|3900|kg}}

}}

{{Infobox Rocket/Payload

| location = HCO

| kilos = {{cvt|2400|kg}}

}}

| family = Long March

| stagedata = {{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = booster

| diff = 3C

| number = 2

| length = {{cvt|15.33|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|2.25|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|37700|kg}}

| engines = 1 YF-25

| thrust = {{cvt|740.4|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|2556.2|m/s}}

| burntime = 127 seconds

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = booster

| diff = 3C/E

| number = 2

| length = {{cvt|16.1|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|2.25|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|41100|kg}}

| engines = 1 YF-25

| thrust = {{cvt|740.4|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|2556.2|m/s}}

| burntime = 140 seconds

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = stage

| stageno = First

| diff = 3C

| length = {{cvt|23.27|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|171800|kg}}

| engines = 4 YF-21C

| thrust = {{cvt|2961.6|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|2556.5|m/s}}

| burntime = 145 seconds

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = stage

| stageno = First

| diff = 3C/E

| length = {{cvt|24.76|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|186200|kg}}

| engines = 4 YF-21C

| thrust = {{cvt|2961.6|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|2556.5|m/s}}

| burntime = 158 seconds

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = stage

| stageno = Second

| length = {{cvt|12.92|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|3.35|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|49400|kg}}

| engines = 1 YF-24E (YF-22E (Main)
4 x YF-23C (Vernier))

| thrust = {{cvt|742|kN}} (Main)
{{cvt|47.1|kN}} (Vernier)

| SI = {{cvt|2922.57|m/s}} (Main)
{{cvt|2910.5|m/s}} (Vernier)

| burntime = 185 seconds

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = stage

| stageno = Third

| length = {{cvt|12.38|m}}

| diameter = {{cvt|3.0|m}}

| empty =

| gross =

| propmass = {{cvt|18200|kg}}

| engines = 2 × YF-75

| thrust = {{cvt|167.17|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|4295|m/s}}

| burntime = 487 seconds

| fuel = LH₂ / LOX

}}

{{Infobox rocket/stage

| type = stage

| stageno = Fourth

| diff = optional

| name = YZ-1

| engines = 1 × YF-50D

| thrust = {{cvt|6.5|kN}}

| SI = {{cvt|315.5|isp}}

| burntime =

| fuel = N₂O₄ / UDMH

}}

}}

The Long March 3C ({{zh|s=长征三号丙火箭|t=長征三號丙火箭|p=Chángzhēng Sānhào Bǐng Huǒjiàn}}), also known as the Changzheng 3C, CZ-3C and LM-3C, is a Chinese orbital launch vehicle. It is launched from Launch Complex 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC). A three-stage rocket with two strapon liquid rocket boosters, it is a member of the Long March 3 rocket family, and was derived from the Long March 3B. It was designed to fill a gap in payload capacities between the Long March 3A and 3B.