The CTS is an upper stage developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) to improve the performance of the Long March 2C to high (>400 km of altitude) LEO missions like SSO. The two stage LM-2 delivers the payload and stage to an elliptical orbit with the desired apogee and the CTS points the stack in the direction of the correct vector and activates the solid rocket motor (SRM) main engine to circularize it. It then dispenses the spacecraft and does a passivisation procedure.

History It was initially developed as the SD stage for the initial deployment of the Iridium constellation in 1997. In 1999, LM-2C User Manual was offered as the CTS option and flew to deploy the Double Star mission. Later, it flew twice as part of the dual deployment system SMA, first for the deployment of the Huanjing 1A and 1B and in 2012 for the Shijian 9A and Shijian 9A technology demonstrator missions.

DateCarrier rocketDesignationLaunch siteMissionResult1997-09-01 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium-MFS 1 / Iridium-MFS 2 1997-12-08 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 42 / Iridium 44 1998-03-25 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 51 / Iridium 61 1998-05-02 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 69 / Iridium 71 1998-08-19 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 76 / Iridium 78 1998-12-19 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 88 / Iridium 89 1999-06-10 Long March 2C SD Taiyuan Iridium 92 / Iridium 93 2003-12-29 Long March 2C CTS Xichang Double Star Equatorial (TC 1) 2004-07-26 Long March 2C CTS Taiyuan Double Star Polar (TC 2) 2008-09-06 Long March 2C SMA Taiyuan Huanjing 1A / Huanjing 1B 2012-10-14 Long March 2C SMA Taiyuan Shijian 9A / Shijian 9A

Design It is composed of the Spacecraft Adapter and Orbital Maneuver System (OMS). The Spacecraft Adapter is customized to the user's requirement, particularly in the separation environment and pointing accuracy. The OMS is composed by: Main structure Control system (avionics) Telemetry system Solid rocket motor (SRM) Reaction control system (RCS)

Versions The basic system has been offered in three different versions: SD: Initial version used exclusively for the Iridium fleet deployment. CTS: Improved commercial version offered in the 1999 User Manual with 3 axis stabilization. SMA: Government version which includes a dual payload adapter.

See also Long March 2C CALT Star 37 Star 48 Payload Assist Module

References