Tag: Long March
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Classified NRO Payload and Chinese Triple-Header Fill a Busy Launch Week
The week opens with a concentrated block of Chinese activity on July 29, followed by the NRO mission on July 30. Two of the three Chinese launches carry undisclosed payloads, and the NRO flight is classified, leaving much of the week’s activity opaque as to purpose. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to…
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Lightning Hit Long March-3B 30 Seconds After Liftoff
Did the Long March-3B Survive a Lightning Strike at Liftoff? A Long March-3B rocket absorbed a lightning strike approximately 30 seconds after liftoff from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center on July 23, 2026 — and still delivered its payload to geostationary orbit (GEO) as planned. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed the…
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Epic Milestone: The World’s First Offshore Net-Based Rocket Recovery — A Comprehensive Analysis of the Long March 10B and Related Companies
On July 10, 2026, the Long March 10B achieved a historic breakthrough by completing China’s first recovery of a rocket first stage, making China the second country in the world—after the United States—to recover a reusable rocket. According to China Central Television, the Long March 10B carrier rocket, developed by the China Academy of Launch…
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China achieves first-ever controlled rocket recovery in Long March-10B maiden flight
China successfully launched the Long March-10B carrier rocket at the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China’s Hainan Province on July 10, achieving its first-ever controlled recovery of a carrier rocket’s first stage. The rocket, in its maiden flight, sent the payload into the preset orbit. After the separation of the rocket’s first and…
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Historic First: Long March-10B Successfully Demonstrates Controlled First-Stage Recovery
Long March-10B Rocket Makes Successful Maiden Flight and Booster Recovery At 12:15 p.m. on July 10, 2026, the Long March-10B launch vehicle lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site. Approximately six minutes after first-stage and second-stage separation, the first-stage booster executed a controlled vertical return and was successfully recovered on an offshore recovery…
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China’s Long March-8A rocket launches new satellite group
China sent a new satellite group into space on Sunday from a commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan. The satellite group was launched at 9:43 p.m. (Beijing Time) and entered its preset orbit successfully. Sunday’s launch marked the 656th flight of the Long March rocket family.
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China launches new satellite group for commercial constellation aboard Long March-6 modified rocket
A modified Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying a new satellite group blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province on July 4, 2026. (Photo by Li Tiantian/Xinhua) TAIYUAN, July 4 (Xinhua) — China sent a new satellite group into space on Saturday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north…
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China launches Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) marine satellite aboard a Long March-4B rocket
China on Thursday sent a new marine satellite into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. A Long March-4B rocket carrying the Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) satellite took off at 7:46 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending the satellite into its planned orbit. The launch was the 654th involving the Long March rocket series. The HY-2E…
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How Much Payload Capacity Does China Currently Possess to Send Into Space?
Rocket launch capability is the core indicator of a nation’s aerospace strength, determining the breadth and depth of its ability to enter, utilize, and explore space. Especially in today’s increasingly fierce space competition, whether a nation can deliver effective payloads into space has become a critical bargaining chip that dictates strategic initiative. Payloads must be…
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China launches new communication technology test satellite aboard Long March-7 rocket
China on Tuesday sent a new communication technology test satellite into space from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China’s Hainan Province. Launched at 10:10 a.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a modified version of the Long March-7 rocket, the satellite has successfully entered its preset orbit. This satellite will be mainly used for services such…