Long March 2F

The Long March 2F (Template:Zh Changzheng 2F), also known as the CZ-2F, LM-2F and Shenjian ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, "Divine Arrow"),<ref name="EA"/> is a Chinese orbital carrier rocket, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Designed to launch crewed Shenzhou spacecraft, the Long March 2F is a human-rated two-stage version of the Long March 2E rocket, which in turn was based on the Long March 2C launch vehicle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is launched from complex SLS at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 2F made its maiden flight on 19 November 1999, with the Shenzhou 1 spacecraft. After the flight of Shenzhou 3, CPC General Secretary and President Jiang Zemin named the rocket "Shenjian", meaning "Divine Arrow".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 29 December 2002, a Long March 2F launched Shenzhou 4 for a final uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft for the upcoming flight of the first crewed mission. Until then, all missions were uncrewed.

On 15 October 2003, a Long March 2F launched Shenzhou 5, China's maiden crewed mission and achieved its first human spaceflight. Since then, the rocket has launched twenty more missions into orbit with the latest being the Shenzhou 20 spacecraft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Differences from the Long March 2E

Externally, the rocket is similar to the Long March 2E from which it was derived. Most of the changes involve the addition of redundant systems to improve safety, although there are some structural modifications that allow the rocket to support the heavier fairing required by the Shenzhou capsule. The rocket is also capable of lifting heavier payloads with the addition of extra boosters to the first stage.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The rocket also has an "advanced fault monitoring and diagnosis system to help the astronauts escape in time of emergency" (in other words, a launch escape system), and is the first Chinese made rocket to be assembled and rolled out to its launch site vertically.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Derivatives

• CZ-2F rendering.jpg

  Long March 2 F/G version

• CZ-2FT rendering.jpg

  Long March 2 F/T version

A derivative called Long March 2F/G, first launched in 2011, was made to replace the existing 2F variant. For uncrewed launches, Long March 2F/T was designed, which launched space laboratories such as Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2. It dispenses with the launch escape system and supports a larger fairing to accommodate the bulkier payloads.<ref name=2fg>Template:Cite news</ref> For launching payloads like reusable experimental spacecraft, the Long March 2F/G's fairing has bumps added to enclose parts of the payload (such as wingtips) without using a larger fairing. <ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Vibration issues

During the Shenzhou 5 flight, Yang Liwei became unwell due to heavy vibrations from the rocket. Although the problem was reduced somewhat by modifications to the rocket, vibrations were reported again in Shenzhou 6 necessitating further changes. According to Jing Muchun, chief designer of the Long March 2F "We made changes to the pipelines of the rocket engine, adjusting its frequency. A new design for the pressure accumulator produced evident results. The vibration has now been reduced by more than 50%".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the launch preparations for the Shenzhou 14 mission chief designer Gao Xu said incremental improvements made to the rocket's design mean vibrations felt by the taikonauts would be similar to that felt in a car driven on a highway.<ref name="Improvements make Shenzhou-14 spaceship safer and more comfortable">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The predecessor Long March 2E had also been known for vibration. During two launches, excessive vibration caused the collapse of the payload fairing, destroying the Optus B2 and Apstar 2 satellites.<ref name="zinger2014">Template:Cite journal</ref> After the payload fairing was redesigned, excessive vibration also damaged the AsiaSat 2 satellite during launch. After its successful launch of the Echostar 1 satellite on 28 December 1995 the rocket was officially retired from service.<ref name="China in Space">Template:Cite book</ref>

• CZ-2F.svg

  Long March 2F rocket schematics

• Shenzhou-12 roll out 02.png

  lang}}) in Chinese

• Launch of Shenzhou 13.jpg

  Launch of Shenzhou 13

• 1分钟回顾神舟十五号载人飞船发射2.png

  Shenzhou 15 before liftoff

Launch statistics

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List of launches

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Flight number	Serial number	Date (UTC)	Version	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Crew	Result	Remarks
1	Y1	19 November 1999 22:30	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 1	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	First uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft
2	Y2	9 January 2001 17:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 2	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	Second uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft, carried live animals.
3	Y3	25 March 2002 14:15	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 3	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	Third uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft.
4	Y4	29 December 2002 16:40	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 4	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	Final uncrewed test of the Shenzhou spacecraft prior to flying with crew.
5	Y5	15 October 2003 01:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 5	LEO	Template:Flagicon Yang Liwei	Template:Success	China's first crewed spaceflight.
6	Y6	12 October 2005 01:00	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 6	LEO	Template:Flagicon Fei Junlong Template:Flagicon Nie Haisheng	Template:Success	Second crewed spaceflight, first with two astronauts.
7	Y7	25 September 2008 13:10	2F	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 7	LEO	Template:Flagicon Zhai Zhigang Template:Flagicon Liu Boming Template:Flagicon Jing Haipeng	Template:Success	First flight with three crew members, first to feature extravehicular activity.
8	T1	29 September 2011 13:16	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Tiangong 1	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	The first Chinese space station. Modified version Long March 2F/G with larger payload fairing.<ref name=2fg/>
9	Y8	31 October 2011 21:58	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 8	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	Uncrewed spaceflight to test automatic rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1
10	Y9	16 June 2012 10:37	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 9	LEO	Template:Flagicon Jing Haipeng Template:Flagicon Liu Wang Template:Flagicon Liu Yang	Template:Success	Three crew members, to test rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1.
11	Y10	11 June 2013 09:38	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 10	LEO	Template:Flagicon Nie Haisheng Template:Flagicon Zhang Xiaoguang Template:Flagicon Wang Yaping	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-1.
12	T2	15 September 2016 14:04	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Tiangong 2	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	Second Chinese space laboratory Tiangong-2, launched by 2F/G variant.
13	Y11	16 October 2016 23:30	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 11	LEO	Template:Flagicon Jing Haipeng Template:Flagicon Chen Dong	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> rendezvous and docking with Tiangong-2 for a 30-day mission.
14	T3	4 September 2020 07:30	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft<ref name=Xinhua20200904>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
15	Y12	17 June 2021 01:22	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 12	LEO	Template:Flagicon Nie Haisheng Template:Flagicon Liu Boming Template:Flagicon Tang Hongbo	Template:Success	Three crew members; first visit to Tianhe, the first module of the Chinese Space Station, for a three-month mission.
16	Y13	15 October 2021 16:23	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 13	LEO	Template:Flagicon Zhai Zhigang Template:Flagicon Wang Yaping Template:Flagicon Ye Guangfu	Template:Success	Three crew members; visited Tianhe to continue construction of the space station for a six-month mission.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
17	Y14	5 June 2022 02:44	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 14	LEO	Template:Flagicon Chen Dong Template:Flagicon Liu Yang Template:Flagicon Cai Xuzhe	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
18	T4	4 August 2022 16:00	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
19	Y15	29 November 2022 15:08	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 15	LEO	Template:Flagicon Fei Junlong Template:Flagicon Deng Qingming Template:Flagicon Zhang Lu	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
20	Y16	30 May 2023 01:31	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 16	LEO	Template:Flagicon Jing Haipeng Template:Flagicon Zhu Yangzhu Template:Flagicon Gui Haichao	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
21	Y17	26 October 2023 03:13	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 17	LEO	Template:Flagicon Tang Hongbo Template:Flagicon Tang Shengjie Template:Flagicon Jiang Xinlin	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
22	T5	14 December 2023 14:12	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Template:Success	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23	Y18	25 April 2024 12:59	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 18	LEO	Template:Flagicon Ye Guangfu Template:Flagicon Li Cong Template:Flagicon Li Guangsu	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
24	Y19	29 October 2024 20:27	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 19	LEO	Template:Flagicon Cai Xuzhe Template:Flagicon Song Lingdong Template:Flagicon Wang Haoze	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
25	Y20	24 April 2025 09:17	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 20	LEO	Template:Flagicon Chen Dong Template:Flagicon Chen Zhongrui Template:Flagicon Wang Jie	Template:Success	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
26	Y21	October 2025	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 21	LEO	Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA	Template:Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
27	T6	2025	2F/T	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Reusable Experimental Spacecraft	LEO	N/A	Template:Planned
28	Y22	April 2026	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 22	LEO	Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA	Template:Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
29	Y23	October 2026	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 23	LEO	Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA	Template:Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
30	Y24	April 2027	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 24	LEO	Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA	Template:Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.
31	Y25	October 2027	2F/G	LA-4/SLS-1, JSLC	Shenzhou 25	LEO	Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA Template:Flagicon TBA	Template:Planned	Three crew members; rendezvous and docking with the Chinese space station for a six-month mission.

See also

• List of Long March launches (2025-2029)