Long March 4

The launch is not believed to use a Long March 2 or Long March 4 rocket or an SRB-based launcher.

The Long March 2D is a two-stage derivative of the Long March 4 family used for missions to low Earth and sun-synchronous orbits.

The Long March 4B is an older generation launch vehicle built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology for low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit missions.

Long March 4B Y69 launched TianHui-7 from Jiuquan at 04:12 UTC on December 30.

A Long March 4B lifted off from Launch Complex 9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 11:17 am China Standard Time (03:17 am UTC) on December 16, 2025, carrying a single satellite into polar orbit.

Long March 4B Y69 launched TianHui-7 from Jiuquan at 04:12 UTC on December 30.

The Long March 4B third stage is propelled by two YF-40 engines that provide 10 tons of thrust while burning dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

During preparations at Jiuquan for the December 30 launch, the launch site dropped to its lowest temperature of the year, leading to application of insulating materials to the Long March 4B engine section, interstage, and fairing and the use of warm air from the launch service tower into critical areas.

The Long March 4B payload capacity is 4,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit, 2,800 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit, and 1,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit.

Long March 4B Y69 launched TianHui-7 on December 30 at 04:12 UTC from Jiuquan.

A Long March 4B lifted off from Launch Site 94 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:12 pm China Standard Time (04:12 am UTC) on December 30, 2025, carrying a single spacecraft into a sun-synchronous orbit.

The Long March 4B first stage is powered by four YF-21C engines that collectively generate 302 tons of thrust using dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

The Long March 4B first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the third stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and the vehicle uses a payload fairing with a diameter of either 3.8 or 4.2 meters.

On the launch pad, the Long March 4B is 44.1 meters tall and weighs 249,200 kilograms when fully fueled.

The Long March 4B is a three-stage launch vehicle built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology for low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit missions.

The Long March 4B has flown from the Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang Satellite Launch Centers.

Long March 4B Y61 launched the ZiYuan-3 04 satellite at 03:17 UTC on December 16.

The December 16 launch was the 55th mission for the Long March 4B vehicle.