page_title: Long March (rocket family)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Long March (rocket family) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The launch of Long March 3B Rocket, Xichang Satellite Center, China.
context_page_description: The Long March rockets is a family of expendable launch system rockets operated by the China National Space Administration. Development and design falls under the auspices of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. In English, the rockets are abbreviated as LM- for export and CZ- within China, as "Chang Zheng" means "Long March’’ in Chinese pinyin. The rockets are named after the Long March of Chinese history.
context_section_description: China used the Long March 1 rocket to launch its first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1 (lit. "The East is Red 1"), into Low Earth orbit on April 24, 1970, becoming the fifth nation to achieve independent launch capability. Early launches had an inconsistent record, focusing on the launching of Chinese satellites. The Long March 1 was quickly replaced by the Long March 2 family of launchers.
caption: Long March 3B launch
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