China tested a fractional orbital bombardment system: a Long March rocket, thought to be a Long March 2C, put a hypersonic glide vehicle into orbit, which travelled about 40,000 km around the globe before re-entering towards its target and released a separate payload on the way. China described the flight as a spacecraft test.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- LEO
- Low Earth orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 1 T (est.)
- Flight
- 45th
- of 67 Long March 2C flights
- Date and time
- 27 July 2021
- Rocket
- Long March 2C
- Builder
- CASC
- Payload
- Government/Top Secret
- Launches in 2021
- 70th of 146