PADLaunch Complex 9
SITETaiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China →ORBITSun-Synchronous Orbit
TYPEEarth Science
MISSION OVERVIEW
Gaofen 3 is the first medium-sized and long life (8 years) civil satellite of China. The satellite is a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar capable of up to 1m ground resolution.
LAUNCH DETAILS
VEHICLE
Long March 4CMISSION
Gaofen 3
MISSION TYPE
Earth Science
TARGET ORBIT
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
LAUNCH PAD
Launch Complex 9COUNTRY
CHN
LAUNCH TIME VERIFICATION
CONFIRMEDPrecision: Minute
LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY
API ID: 27015aba-78a6-4cac-bed8-e1bda2e57452
Reported date: Aug 9, 2016 at 22:55 UTC
Last synced: 1 day ago
This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.
LAUNCH MAP
PAD WEATHER
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PAYLOAD →
Gaofen
Earth Observation
CNSAOPERATOR
SSOORBIT
3TOTAL LAUNCHES
VEHICLE — Long March 4C →
MANUFACTURER
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
VARIANT
C
FLIGHTS
59
SUCCESSES
57
SUCCESS RATE
96.6%
The Long March 4C, also known as the Chang Zheng 4C, CZ-4C and LM-4C, previously designated Long March 4B-II, is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket. It is launched from the Jiuquan, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre and Xichangs, and consists of 3 stages. Long March 4C vehicles have been used to launch the Yaogan-1, Yaogan-3 SAR satellites and the Fengyun-3A polar orbiting meteorological satellite. On December 15, 2009 a Long March 4C was used to launch Yaogan 8.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is the Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 launch?
The Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 10:55 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: SUCCESS.
What rocket is being used for Gaofen 3?
The Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 mission uses the Long March 4C rocket, manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The Long March 4C has flown 59 times with a 96.6% success rate.
Where is the Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 launching from?
The launch takes place from Launch Complex 9 at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China.
What orbit is Gaofen 3 going to?
The Gaofen 3 mission is targeting Sun-Synchronous Orbit.
Who is launching Gaofen 3?
The Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 is operated by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Can I watch the Long March 4C | Gaofen 3 launch live?
Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.
LAUNCH TIMELINE
Mar 28, 2026 20:33 UTC
Launch added to tracker
Imported from Launch Library 2 API
Mar 28, 2026 20:33 UTC
Launch date set: Aug 9, 2016 at 22:55 UTC
NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Mar 28, 2026 20:33 UTC
Launch completed successfully
Updated via Launch Library 2
Nov 23, 2021 02:52 UTC
China launches Gaofen 3-02 mission on a Chang Zheng 4CChina has launched a second Gaofen 3 C-band satellite, used for remote sensing and Earth observation. The launch was conducted on November 22 at 23:45…
NASASpaceflight
LIVE DATA SOURCES
Last data sync: 1 day ago
●Launch Library 21 day ago
Launch ID: 27015aba-78a6-4cac-bed8-e1bda2e57452
●Spaceflight News API1 day ago
1 article matched
●Open-Meteo Weather1 day ago
Pad weather at 38.86, 111.59
●YouTube Video Search1 day ago
1 video discovered
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