Optus B2

Carried Australia's Optus B2 communications satellite, but the Long March 2E's payload fairing failed structurally about 45 seconds into flight amid high-altitude windshear, destroying the satellite; the rocket continued to a nominal low Earth parking orbit.

Outcome

Failure

Orbit

Direct-GEO

Geostationary orbit

Payload to orbit

Did not reach orbit

Flight

3rd

of 7 Long March 2E flights

Date and time

21 December 1992, 11:21 UTC

Rocket

Long March 2E

Builder

CASC

Launch site

Launch Complex 2 (LC-2), Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Payload

Communications

International designator

1992-090

Launches in 1992

92nd of 97

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