Yaogan 36

Yaogan is a series of Earth remote sensing satellites for China.

State media report the satellites are scientific in nature and are used for land survey, agriculture monitoring, and disaster response.

Western nations believe the Yaogan sats are SIGINT, or Signals Intelligence, satellites to monitor shipping and radio communications for the military.

All Yaogan satellites have so far been launched in groups of three into 500 km orbits.

The Long March 2D (CZ-2D) is a two-stage orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), part of the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It is part of the broader Long March rocket family, known for its reliability and versatility. The Long March 2D is primarily designed to launch satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) and Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), making it suitable for missions like Earth observation, scientific research, and communication satellite deployment.

Specs

Height: 41.1 meters (134.8 feet)

Diameter: 3.35 meters (11 feet)

Liftoff Mass: 232 metric tons

Stages: 2 stages

Thrust (at liftoff): ~2,961 kN (666,000 lbf) from four YF-21C engines

Engine types: YF-21C engines (Stage 1) and YF-24C engines (Stage 2, with a YF-22C main engine and YF-23C vernier engines for control)

First launched in 1992, the Long March 2D has become a reliable workhorse for China's space program. It uses hypergolic propellants—unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) as an oxidizer—which allow for efficient, though toxic, combustion. The rocket can carry payloads of 3,500 kg to LEO or 1,300 kg to SSO at 700 km altitude.

Launch Complex 3

LC-3 is one of two launch areas at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

The pad was completely rebuilt and upgraded between 2005 to 2006 for China's lunar exploration program.

It can currently launch the Chang Zheng 2, 2C, 3 and 3B rockets.

Xichang Satellite Launch Center

The center was built in the early 1980s and takes its name from the closest major city, Xichang, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China.

The space center is used to launch international scientific, civilian, and military satellites.

Xichang is not without controversy. In 1996, it was the site of a deadly launch accident when a rocket flew off course and crashed into an un-evacuated village 1.2 km away.

In 2007, it was used to launch an anti-satellite missile test which destroyed a satellite in low Earth orbit. The test created thousands of pieces of debris that were very hard to track and was criticized for the danger it potentially placed the crew of the International Space Station in.