Long March 3B rocket achieves new milestone

The successful launch of the Tianwen 2 robotic probe on Thursday morning marked the latest achievement of the Long March 3B rocket model.

The rocket, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing, is primarily used to launch satellites into geostationary transfer orbits, and it can transport 5.55 metric tons of payloads to such orbits. It can also send spacecraft to other types of orbits, such as the medium-Earth and lunar transfer orbits.

The Long March 3B is 56.3 meters tall and has a diameter of 3.35 meters, and it runs on liquid propellants. The rocket has three stages and four side boosters, each 2.25 meters wide, and weighs 456 metric tons when filled with fuel.