At the early Hours Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time on An early morning of 2025 , China- People’s Republic of China- CNSA –China National Space Administration CASC China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Successfully launched the New Next Generation ChinaRocket Co. LTD Smart Dragon – Jielong three Carrier Rocket Yao 5 carrier rocket at the in the waters near Haiyang, Shandong Province, the Smart Dragon Carrier rocket successfully launched from a sea borne mobile launch platform…..
[Night sea launch is coming again]
In the early morning of August 6, 2025, the Jielong-3 Yao-6 carrier rocket, assembled and shipped from the Haiyang plant and developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, will be launched on the “Dongfang Spaceport” launch ship in the waters near the coast of Shandong Province. Using a one-rocket eleven-satellite method, it will send the Geely Constellation 04 satellites into a LEO orbit at an altitude of 600 kilometers and an inclination of 50 degrees.
Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) is a medium-sized solid-propellant carrier rocket developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and invested by China Rocket Company under the First Academy. It adopts a four-stage tandem configuration, and the main power all uses solid propellant engines developed by the Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology. The rocket is 31.8 meters long, with a diameter of 2.65 meters for the first and second stages, 2 meters for the third stage, and 1.2 meters for the fourth stage. It can be equipped with a 2.9-meter diameter and a 3.35-meter diameter fairing. It has a takeoff mass of 140 tons and a takeoff thrust of 200 tons. It is launched from the sea. Its capacity for a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) is about 1.5 tons, and its capacity for a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit is about 1.3 tons. This rocket is equipped with a 3.35-meter diameter fairing.
The flight area and landing area are safe, which saves the cost of sea voyage, shortens the technical preparation time, improves the economy of the mission, and provides users with a more cost-effective launch service. In addition, this mission also effectively verifies the rocket’s adaptability to the severe cold at sea and the harsh natural environment of high-altitude winds in winter.
Jielong-3 carrier rocket
The Jielong-3 carrier rocket is a four-stage solid-propellant carrier rocket developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is mainly used for commercial space launch missions and can take into account both sea and land launch needs. It has high cost-effectiveness, high reliability and rapid fulfillment capabilities.
Main technical parameters and performance
- Configuration : It adopts a four-stage solid engine serial layout and implements a three-horizontal and one-vertical thermal launch method.
- Carrying capacity : The carrying capacity of the 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit was originally 1,500 kilograms, which was increased to 1,600 kilograms after technical improvements. It is planned to be further optimized to about 2 tons in the future.
- Total length and weight : The total length of the rocket is about 31 meters and the total weight is about 140 tons.
Sea launch advantages
Jielong-3 is mainly launched from the Shandong Haiyang Oriental Spaceport, which has the following advantages:
- The launch site can be flexibly selected to avoid densely populated areas, facilitating safe management of the rocket debris landing area;
- Facing the vast Pacific Ocean, the landing area is highly secure, improving launch efficiency;
- Utilize offshore hot launch technology, combining road, rail, and sea transportation to reduce launch costs;
- After completing final assembly and testing on shore, the rocket can be transferred to the launch ship nearby, shortening the technical preparation cycle.
Technological innovation and future planning
The Jielong-3 rocket has achieved numerous technological breakthroughs, including sea-based hot launch, a large nose configuration, and an integrated test, launch, and command system. To meet the needs of more commercial launches, the development team continues to optimize the rocket’s performance, including enhancing the performance of its solid motor and strengthening the fairing’s thermal insulation.
The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is planning a follow-up model, the Jielong-4 solid-fuel carrier rocket, with an estimated payload capacity of 2.5 tons to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, further expanding its competitiveness in the commercial launch market.
Recent launch plans
According to predictions, in the early morning of August 9, 2025, the Jielong-3 Yao-6 carrier rocket will once again be assembled in Haiyang, Shandong, and will board the Oriental Spaceport launch ship to carry out a one-launch, eleven-satellite mission in the near-shore waters, sending the Geely Constellation 04 group of satellites into a LEO orbit with an altitude of 600 kilometers and an inclination of 50°.
Images and visuals are from their respectives
