View source for Engineering:Long March 4A

{{Infobox rocket
| image          = CZ-4A rendering.jpg
| caption        = Rendering of Long March 4A
|function      =  Carrier rocket
|manufacturer  =  [[Organization:China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology|CALT]]
|country-origin=  China 
|status        =  Retired
|sites         =  LA-7, TSLC
|height        =  {{convert|41.9|m|ft}}<ref name="EA">{{cite web|url=http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz4a.htm|title=CZ-4A|author=Mark Wade|publisher=[[Encyclopedia Astronautica]]|access-date=2008-04-27|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226092924/http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz4a.htm|archive-date=2008-02-26}}</ref>
|diameter      =  {{convert|3.35|m|ft}}<ref name="EA" />
|mass          =  {{convert|249000|kg|lb}}<ref name="EA" />
|stages        =  3
|launches      =  2
|success       =  2
|first         =  6 September 1988
|last          =  3 September 1990
|capacities    =
  {{Infobox Rocket/Payload
  |location=[[Astronomy:Low Earth orbit|LEO]]
  |kilos    =  {{convert|4000|kg|lb}}<ref name="GSP">{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau_det/cz-4.htm|title=CZ-4 (Chang Zheng-4)|author=Gunter Krebs|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2008-04-27}}</ref>
  }}
  {{Infobox Rocket/Payload
  |location=SSO
  |kilos    =  {{convert|1500|kg|lb}}<ref name="GSP" />
  }}
|family     =  Long March
|derivatives=  [[Engineering:Long March 4B|Long March 4B]]
}}

The '''Long March 4A''' ({{zh|长征四号甲火箭}}), also known as the '''Changzheng 4A''', '''CZ-4A''' and '''LM-4A''', sometimes misidentified as the '''Long March 4''' due to the lack of any such designated rocket, was a Chinese [[Physics:Orbit|orbit]]al carrier rocket. It was launched from Launch Area 7 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It was a three-stage rocket, used for two launches in 1988 and 1990. On its maiden flight, on 6 September 1988, it placed the FY-1A [[Engineering:Weather satellite|weather satellite]] into orbit. On its second, and final, flight it launched another weather satellite, FY-1B.

A few days after the launch of FY-18, the third-stage of the CZ-4A launch vehicle exploded in the 895 km orbit, creating more than 80 pieces of space debris. This incident led to a redesign of the rocket to include a residual propellant venting system. A venting system was not included in the 4a because of the concern that it would damage the satellite.

It was replaced by a derivative, the [[Engineering:Long March 4B|Long March 4B]], which first flew in 1999. The Long March 4B offers a more powerful third stage, and a larger payload fairing.

== List of launches ==
{{main|Engineering:List of Long March launches}}
{| class="wikitable" <!--border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 0.5em 0em 0.5em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"-->
|----- style="background:#FFDEAD;"
! Flight No.
! Date (UTC)
! Launch site
! Payload
! Orbit
! Result
|-
|1
|September 6, 1988<br />20:30
|LA-7, TSLC
|Fengyun 1A
|SSO
|{{Success}}
|-
|2
|September 3, 1990<br />00:53
|LA-7, TSLC
|Fengyun 1B
|SSO
|{{Success}}
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Expendable launch systems}}
{{Chinese space program}}
{{Long March rockets}}

[[Category:Long March (rocket family)]]




{{Sourceattribution|Long March 4A}}