It was used on the Long March 3 H8 third stage, running on the simple gas generator cycle and with a thrust of 44.15 kilonewtons (9,930 lbf).

It had four hinge mounted nozzles that gimbaled each on one axis to supply thrust vector control and was restart capable.

The gas generator also incorporated dual heat exchangers that heated hydrogen gas, and supplied helium from separate systems to pressurize the hydrogen and oxygen tanks.

The engine was relatively underpowered for its task and the start up and restart procedures were unreliable.

[3] In October 1970 the Beijing Aerospace Propulsion Institute was tasked with developing a 39 kN (8,800 lbf) prototype rocket engine burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.