Long March 2F

The Long March 2F (Chinese: 长征二号F火箭 Changzheng 2F), also known as the CZ-2F, LM-2F and Shenjian (神箭, "Divine Arrow"),^[1] is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle.^[2] It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F made its maiden flight on 19 November 1999, with the Shenzhou 1 spacecraft. After the flight of Shenzhou 3, CPC General Secretary and President Jiang Zemin named the rocket "Shenjian", meaning "Divine Arrow".^[3]

Long March 2F

The Long March 2F rocket with Shenzhou 13 spacecraft mounted on the top
Function	Crew-rated orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	62 m (203 ft) [1]
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft) [1]
Mass	464,000 kg (1,023,000 lb) [1]
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	8,400 kg (18,500 lb) [1]
Associated rockets
Family	Long March 2
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Total launches	24
Success(es)	24
First flight	19 November 1999
Last flight	29 October 2024
Type of passengers/cargo	Shenzhou Tiangong-1 Tiangong-2 Reusable experimental spacecraft
Boosters
No. boosters	4
Height	15.3 m (50 ft)
Diameter	2.3 m (7 ft 7 in)
Empty mass	3,200 kg (7,100 lb)
Gross mass	41,000 kg (90,000 lb)
Powered by	1 YF-20B per booster
Maximum thrust	814 kN (183,000 lbf)
Total thrust	3,256 kN (732,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	291 s (2.85 km/s)
Burn time	128 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
First stage
Height	23.7 m (78 ft)
Diameter	3.4 m (11 ft)
Empty mass	9,500 kg (20,900 lb)
Gross mass	196,500 kg (433,200 lb)
Powered by	4 YF-20B
Maximum thrust	3,256 kN (732,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	291 s (2.85 km/s)
Burn time	166 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH
Second stage
Height	13.5 m (44 ft)
Diameter	3.4 m (11 ft)
Empty mass	5,500 kg (12,100 lb)
Gross mass	91,500 kg (201,700 lb)
Powered by	1 YF-24B
Maximum thrust	831 kN (187,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	289 s (2.83 km/s)
Burn time	300 seconds
Propellant	N2O4 / UDMH

On 29 December 2002, a Long March 2F launched Shenzhou 4 for a final uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft for the upcoming flight of the first crewed mission. Until then, all missions were uncrewed.

On 15 October 2003, a Long March 2F launched Shenzhou 5, China's maiden crewed mission and achieved its first human spaceflight. Since then, the rocket has launched nineteen more missions into orbit with the latest being the Shenzhou 19 spacecraft.^[4][5][6][7]

Differences from the Long March 2E

Externally, the rocket is similar to the Long March 2E from which it was derived. Most of the changes involve the addition of redundant systems to improve safety, although there are some structural modifications that allow the rocket to support the heavier fairing required by the Shenzhou capsule. The rocket is also capable of lifting heavier payloads with the addition of extra boosters to the first stage.^[8]

The rocket also has an "advanced fault monitoring and diagnosis system to help the astronauts escape in time of emergency" (in other words, a launch escape system), and is the first Chinese made rocket to be assembled and rolled out to its launch site vertically.^[9]

Derivatives

• 
  Long March 2 F/G version
• 
  Long March 2 F/T version

A derivative called Long March 2F/G, first launched in 2011, was made to replace the existing 2F variant. For uncrewed launches, Long March 2F/T was designed, which launched space laboratories such as Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2. It dispenses with the launch escape system and supports a larger fairing to accommodate the bulkier payloads.^[10] For launching payloads like reusable experimental spacecraft, the Long March 2F/G's fairing has bumps added to enclose parts of the payload (such as wingtips) without using a larger fairing. ^[11][12][13]

Vibration issues

During the Shenzhou 5 flight, Yang Liwei became unwell due to heavy vibrations from the rocket. Although the problem was reduced somewhat by modifications to the rocket, vibrations were reported again in Shenzhou 6 necessitating further changes. According to Jing Muchun, chief designer of the Long March 2F "We made changes to the pipelines of the rocket engine, adjusting its frequency. A new design for the pressure accumulator produced evident results. The vibration has now been reduced by more than 50%".^[14] During the launch preparations for the Shenzhou 14 mission chief designer Gao Xu said incremental improvements made to the rocket's design mean vibrations felt by the taikonauts would be similar to that felt in a car driven on a highway.^[15]

The predecessor Long March 2E had also been known for vibration. During two launches, excessive vibration caused the collapse of the payload fairing, destroying the Optus B2 and Apstar 2 satellites.^[16] After the payload fairing was redesigned, excessive vibration also damaged the AsiaSat 2 satellite during launch. After its successful launch of the Echostar 1 satellite on 28 December 1995 the rocket was officially retired from service.^[17]

• 
  Long March 2F rocket schematics
• 
  The Long March 2F rocket with folded grid fins carrying Shenzhou 12 mission spacecraft, inscribed with "Divine Arrow" (神箭) in Chinese
• 
  Launch of Shenzhou 13
• 
  Shenzhou 15 before liftoff

Launch statistics

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

1999

2005

2010

2015

2020

2025

•   Failure
•   Partial failure
•   Success
•   Planned

List of launches

Main article: List of Long March launches

Flight number	Serial number	Date (UTC)	Version	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Crew	Result	Remarks
1	Y1	19 November 1999 22:30	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 1	LEO	N/A	Success	First uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft
2	Y2	9 January 2001 17:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 2	LEO	N/A	Success	Second uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft, carried live animals.
3	Y3	25 March 2002 14:15	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 3	LEO	N/A	Success	Third uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft.
4	Y4	29 December 2002 16:40	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 4	LEO	N/A	Success	Final uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft prior to flying with crew.
5	Y5	15 October 2003 01:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 5	LEO	Yang Liwei	Success	China's first crewed spaceflight.
6	Y6	12 October 2005 01:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 6	LEO	Fei Junlong Nie Haisheng	Success	Second crewed spaceflight, first with two astronauts.
7	Y7	25 September 2008 13:10	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 7	LEO	Zhai Zhigang Liu Boming Jing Haipeng	Success	First flight with three crew members, first to feature extravehicular activity.
8	T1	29 September 2011 13:16	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Tiangong 1	LEO	N/A	Success	The first Chinese space station. Modified version Long March 2F/G with larger payload fairing.[10]
9	Y8	31 October 2011 21:58	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 8	LEO	N/A	Success	Uncrewed spaceflight to test automatic rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1
10	Y9	16 June 2012 10:37	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 9	LEO	Jing Haipeng Liu Wang Liu Yang	Success	Three crew members, to test rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1.
11	Y10	11 June 2013 09:38	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 10	LEO	Nie Haisheng Zhang Xiaoguang Wang Yaping	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1.
12	T2	15 September 2016 14:04	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Tiangong 2	LEO	N/A	Success	Second Chinese space laboratory Tiangong-2, launched by 2F/G variant.
13	Y11	16 October 2016 23:30	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 11	LEO	Jing Haipeng Chen Dong	Success	Two crew members;[18] rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-2 for a 30-day mission.
14	T3	4 September 2020 07:30	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft[19]	LEO	N/A	Success	Test flight of a reusable experimental spacecraft.[19][20]
15	Y12	17 June 2021 01:22	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 12	LEO	Nie Haisheng Liu Boming Tang Hongbo	Success	Three crew members; first visit to Tianhe, the first module of the Chinese Space Station, for a three-month mission.
16	Y13	15 October 2021 16:23	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 13	LEO	Zhai Zhigang Wang Yaping Ye Guangfu	Success	Three crew members; visited Tianhe to continue construction of the space station for a six-month mission.[21]
17	Y14	5 June 2022 02:44	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 14	LEO	Chen Dong Liu Yang Cai Xuzhe	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.[22]
18	T4	4 August 2022 16:00	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Success	Second test flight of a reusable experimental spacecraft.[23][24]
19	Y15	29 November 2022 15:08	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 15	LEO	Fei Junlong Deng Qingming Zhang Lu	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.[25]
20	Y16	30 May 2023 01:31	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 16	LEO	Jing Haipeng Zhu Yangzhu Gui Haichao	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
21	Y17	26 October 2023 03:13	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 17	LEO	Tang Hongbo Tang Shengjie Jiang Xinlin	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
22	T5	14 December 2023 14:12	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Success	Third test flight of a reusable experimental spacecraft.[26]
23	Y18	25 April 2024 12:59	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 18	LEO	Ye Guangfu Li Cong Li Guangsu	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
24	Y19	29 October 2024 20:27	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 19	LEO	Cai Xuzhe Song Lingdong Wang Haoze	Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
25	Y20	April 2025	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 20	LEO	TBA TBA TBA	Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
26	Y21	October 2025	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 21	LEO	TBA TBA TBA	Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
27	T6	2025	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Planned

References

• Spaceflight portal
• China portal

1. Mark Wade. "CZ-2F". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 17 March 2002. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
2. "LM-2F - Launch Vehicle". CGWIC. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
3. "CZ". Astronautix.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
4. 刘光博, ed. (5 August 2022). "我国成功发射可重复使用试验航天器" (in Chinese). 新华社酒. Archived from the original on 14 August 2022.
5. "China launches 3 astronauts to oversee construction of new Tiangong space station". Space.com. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
6. "Shenzhou 13 astronauts begin China's longest mission ever at space station module (video)". Space.com. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
7. "China to launch Shenzhou 7 spacecraft on Thursday". news.xinhuanet.com. English Xinhua. 24 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
8. "Long March 2F - Summary". spaceandtech.com. 20 November 1999. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. "ChangZheng 2F (Long March 2F) Space Launch Vehicle". www.sinodefence.com. 14 May 2007. Archived from the original on 23 May 2008.
10. Jones, Morris (27 January 2016). "Last Launch for Long March 2F/G". Space Daily. Retrieved 7 April 2016. The principal difference between the Shenzhou-launching Long March 2F and its 2F/G cousin is easy to spot. The 2F/G carries a very different payload fairing at its top. This accounts. for the larger dimensions of the Tiangong laboratory, which wouldn't fit inside the standard payload fairing for the 2F.
    It also lacks an emergency escape system. With no astronauts on board, the escape rocket and stabilizer panels that help Shenzhou spacecraft to separate from their rocket in a launch failure are not needed. This simplifies the design and also reduces the weight of the rocket. That's critical. Tiangong modules weigh more than Shenzhou spacecraft, so this helps to keep the overall launch mass within performance limits.
11. @CNSAWatcher (14 August 2022). "Fairing of CZ2F rocket which launched CSSHQ on Aug 5 being openly exhibited in Henan Jiyuan No.1 middle school. If the bumps are spare spaces for wings, CSSHQ's wingspan could be larger than fairing's diameter 4.2m" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
12. @Kedrskie (14 August 2022). "ミニシャトルを載せてたんでないかと噂されている、8/5に打ち上げられた長征2号F/T。そのフェアリングに大きな張り出しが設けられていて、シャトルの翼端を納める為のものでは？というツイート。張り出しの裏側が見えるコマを切り出して明度を上げると、確かに内側は空洞になってる。" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
13. @CNSpaceflight (14 August 2022). "The leaked footage of #CZ2F fairing suggests the Chinese reusable spaceplane may be X-37B alike. 👇Here are some dimensions overlay (each floor brick measures ~600x600mm). The distance & angle between wings and tail fins "exactly" match that of X-37B. The fairing measures 4.2m..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on 14 August 2022 – via Twitter.
14. "New mission for CZ-2F rocket". China Central Television. 25 September 2008. Archived from the original on 26 September 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
15. "Improvements make Shenzhou-14 spaceship safer and more comfortable". 5 June 2022.
16. Zinger, Kurtis J. (2014). "An Overreaction that Destroyed an Industry: The Past, Present, and Future of U.S. Satellite Export Controls" (PDF). University of Colorado Law Review. 86 (1). Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 June 2022.
17. Harvey, Brian (2013). CZ-2E Space Launch Vehicle. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5043-6. ISBN 978-1-4614-5042-9.
18. Huang, Jin (8 March 2016). "Why will Shenzhou-11 carry only two astronauts to space?". People's Daily Online. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
19. "我国成功发射可重复使用试验航天器" [My country successfully launched a reusable experimental spacecraft]. Xinhuanet. 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
20. "Experimental spaceplane - CZ-2F - Jiuquan LC43/91 - Sept. 4 2020 (~07:30 UTC)".
21. Davenport, Justin (15 October 2021). "Shenzhou 13 launch first long-duration Chinese Space Station crew". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
22. "长征二号F • 神舟十四号载人飞船（2022年待定）" [Long March 2F • Shenzhou-14 (2022 TBD)]. spaceflightfans.cn (in Chinese). 21 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
23. "Experimental spaceplane (F2) - CZ-2F/T4 - JSLC LC43/91 - 4 Aug 2022 ~16:00 UTC".
24. "我国成功发射可重复使用试验航天器". 5 August 2022.
25. "长征二号F • 神舟十五号载人飞船（2022年待定）" [Long March 2F • Shenzhou-15 (2022 TBD)]. spaceflightfans.cn (in Chinese). 21 April 2021. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
26. "China launches mystery reusable spaceplane for third time". SpaceNews. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.