Failure
INTELSAT 708
Communications
China Aerospace Corporation(CASC)Government
Long March 3B
Direct-GEOorbit
Geostationary communications satellite
Wednesday, February 14, 1996 at 7:01 PM
Mission details
Orbital Attempt
#4,049
CASC Mission
#10
Pad Launch
#10
Location Launch
#19
Launch Window
NET
Feb 14, 1996, 7:01 PM
Schedule Changes
1 update
Status Details
Failure Reason
Guidance platform short-circuited right at liftoff, leading to loss of attitude control. The vehicle hit the ground at T+23 seconds and exploded, killing at least 6 people on the ground.
Long March 3B Specs
The Long March 3B is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. Introduced in 1996, it is launched from Launch Area 2 and 3 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan. A three-stage rocket with four strap-on liquid rocket boosters, it is currently the most powerful member of the Long March rocket family and the heaviest of the Long March 3 rocket family, and is mainly used to place communications satellites into geosynchronous orbits.
Length
54.8 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Launch Mass
426 t
Thrust
5,923 kN
LEO Capacity
11,500 kg
GTO Capacity
5,100 kg
GEO Capacity
2,000 kg
Launch Cost
$70M
Reusable
No
Maiden Flight
1996
Fastest Turnaround
25d 23h
Total Launches
24
Successful
21
Failed
3
Consecutive Success
3
Maiden flight: Feb 14, 1996
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
The Xichang Satellite Launch Center is a spaceport in China. It is located in Zeyuan Town, northwest of Xichang, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan.
Timezone
Asia/Shanghai
Local Launch Time
Feb 15, 1996, 3:01 AM
Total Launches
239
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
28.2460, 102.0266