The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C, CZ-4C and LM-4C, previously designated Long March 4B-II, is a Chinese orbital launch vehicle. It is launched from the Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang Satellite Launch Centers, and consists of 3 stages. Long March 4C vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite. On 15 December 2009, a Long March 4C was used to launch Yaogan-8.

Because it was still designated as Long March 4B-II at the time of its maiden flight, the first launch is often mistaken for a Long March 4B. The Long March 4C is derived from the Long March 4B, but features a restartable upper stage, and a larger payload fairing.

On 1 September 2016, the Long March 4C failed for reasons not yet known. A Long March 4C rocket blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi but failed to insert its payload, the Gaofen 10 satellite, into its designated orbit.

Stats

Height: 45.8 m (150 ft)

Diameter: 3.35 m (11.0 ft)

Mass: 250,000 kg (550,000 lb)

Stages: 3

LC-9

One of three launch sites at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, LA-9 (Launch Area 9) hosts the Chang Zheng 2C, 4B, and 4C rocket variants.

The pad was used for the first time in October 2008.

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center is located in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China.

It became fully operational in 1968 and is used primarily to launch weather, Earth observation, and science missions to Sun-Synchronous orbits.

The launch site has also hosted Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile tests.

Taiyuan has three launch pads, LA-7, LA-9, and LA-16, and currently hosts the launches of the Chang Zheng 1D, 2C, 4A, 4B, 4C, and 6 rockets.