Rocket launch capability is the core indicator to measure a country’s aerospace strength and determines the breadth and depth of access to space, space utilization and space exploration. Especially as space competition becomes increasingly fierce, the ability to send payloads into space has become a key weight in determining national strategic initiative. Payloads are sent into space through rockets, and rocket launches require launch stations. Generally speaking, if you know the number of stations, which rockets can be fired at the stations, the shortest time interval for launching two rockets from a single station, and the capacity of the rocket, you can roughly calculate the ability to send payloads into space in a single year.
At present, my country’s launch system includes four traditional launch centers (Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, Wenchang Space Launch Site), Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, and Haiyang Oriental Space Port. Let’s take the data of 2025 as an example to roughly take a look at how many payloads our country has the ability to send into space at this stage.
1. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
(1) Workstation No. 94
Station 94 uses the one-flat-two-vertical test and launch method and shares the technical area with station 921. It is mainly used to launch Long March 2C, Long March 2D, Long March 4B, and Long March 4C.
Long March 2C: In 2025, the Long March 2C rocket was launched three times from Station 94, namely: 2025.02.27; 2025.09.16; 2025.11.19.
Long March 2D: In 2025, Station 94 launched the Long March 2D rocket 6 times, namely: 2025.01.17; 2025.03.15; 2025.04.01; 2025.05.14; 2025.06.14; 2025.10.13.
Long March 4B: In 2025, Long March 4B was launched three times from Station 94, namely: 2025.05.29; 2025.12.09; 2025.12.30.
Long March 4C: In 2025, Long March 4C was launched once from station 94, on September 27, 2025.
It can be seen from this that the number of launches per year at Station 94 can reach 13, and the shortest launch interval can be about 15 days.
The capacities of these rockets are as follows:
Long March 2C:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 4.7 tons (CZ-2C (Ph.3))
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700km): 2.5 tons (CZ-2C (Ph.3))
Long March Number Two:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 4 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 1.9 tons (500 km)
Long March 4B:
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 2.5 tons (700 km)
Long March 4C:
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 3 tons (700 km)
(2) Workstation No. 130
The dedicated launch station of Lijian-1 will launch a total of 5 times in 2025, on May 21, 2025, August 19, 2025, October 19, 2025, November 9, 2025, and December 10, 2025. The shortest launch interval is about 20 days.
The capacity of Lijian No.1:
Low Earth orbit payload: 2 tons (500 km, 40°)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 1.5 tons (500 km)
(3) Workstation No. 140
The dedicated launch station of Lijian 2, the capacity of Lijian 2:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 12 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 8 tons (500 km);
5.6 tons (700 km)
(4) Workstation No. 96A
It is used to launch Suzaku-2 and its bundled configuration. Suzaku-2E was launched twice in 2025. The capacity of Suzaku-2E is:
Low Earth orbit payload: 6 tons (200 km)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 4 tons (500 km)
(5) Workstation No. 96B
Zhuque-3’s dedicated launch station, Zhuque-3’s transport capacity:
Low earth orbit payload:
11.8 tons (basic type, not recycled)
8 tons (basic type, recycling in navigation area)
21.3 tons (improved type, not recycled)
18.3 tons (improved type, recycling in navigation area)
(6) Workstation 95A
It can launch Long March 11, Kuaizhou 1, Kuaizhou 1A, Kuaizhou 11, Jielong 1, Zhuque 1, Hyperbola 1, Ceres 1 and other rockets.
Kuaizhou-1A: In 2025, station 95A launched Kuaizhou-1A once, on December 5, 2025.
Kuaizhou 11: In 2025, station 95A will launch Kuaizhou 11 once, on December 13, 2025.
Hyperbola One: In 2025, Station 95A launched Hyperbola One once, on July 29, 2025.
Ceres One: In 2025, Ceres One will be launched five times from Station 95A, on January 20, 2025, March 17, 2025, March 21, 2025, September 5, 2025, and November 10, 2025.
Therefore, station 95A will be launched a total of 8 times in 2025, and the shortest launch interval is about 8 days. The capacities of these rockets are:
Capacity of Kuaizhou No. 1A:
Low earth orbit payload:
500 kg (500 km, 45°, upgraded version)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload:
360 kg (500 km, upgraded version)
300 kg (700 km, upgraded version)
Capacity of Kuaizhou 11:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 1.5 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 1 ton (700 km)
Hyperbola One’s capacity:
Low earth orbit payload: >520 kg
Sun-synchronous orbit payload:
≥300 kg (500 km, 1.6 m fairing)
Ceres 1’s capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 420 kg (200 km)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 300 kg (500 km);
270 kg（700 km）
(7) Tianbing Technology Station
Tianlong-3’s exclusive work station, Tianlong-3’s transport capacity:
Low Earth orbit load: ≥10 tons (Jiuquan, 800 km, 90°)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 10-17 tons (500 km)
(8) Galaxy Power Station
The dedicated launch station of the Pallas 1 series adopts the three-level launch test mode. The transport capacity of the Pallas 1 is:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 7 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 3 tons (700 km)
(9) Work station of Shanghuo Company
A dedicated launch station for the Long March 12 series launch vehicles, the capacity of the Long March 12A:
Low-Earth orbit payload: ≮9 tons (200 km, not recovered)
≮6 tons (200 km, first-class navigation area recovery)
≮3 tons (500 km, first-class navigation area recovery)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 7 tons (not recovered)
(10) Workstation 921
Long March 2F’s dedicated launch station. In 2025, Long March 2F will be launched a total of 3 times. The capacity of Long March 2F is:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 8.8 tons (200 km×350 km, 42°)
2. Xichang Satellite Launch Center
(1) Workstation No. 2
Mainly used to launch Long March 3A, Long March 3B and Long March 3C.
Long March 3B: In 2025, Long March 3B was launched 8 times from Station 2, namely 2025.01.23; 2025.02.22; 2025.03.26; 2025.04.27; 2025.05.29; 2025.06.20; 2025.11.21; 2025.12.27.
Long March 3C: In 2025, Long March 3C was launched once from Station 2, on September 5, 2025.
Therefore, Station 2 will undertake a total of 9 launch missions in 2025, with the shortest launch interval being about 22 days.
The capacity of Long March 3B:
Low Earth orbit load: >11.5 tons (theoretical)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (500 km): >4.5 tons (CZ-3B/E G5)
Synchronous transfer track load: >5.55 tons (CZ-3B/E G2)
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: >3.78 tons (CZ-3B/E G2)
Long March 3C’s transport capacity:
Synchronized transfer track load: 3.9 tons
(2) Workstation No. 3
It is mainly used to launch the Long March 3A and Long March 3B rockets, and can also launch the Long March 2C, Long March 2D, Long March 4B and Long March 4C rockets.
Long March 3B: In 2025, Long March 3B was launched 5 times from Station 3, namely: 2025.01.07; 2025.03.10; 2025.04.11; 2025.10.26; 2025.12.09.
Long March 2D: In 2025, Long March 2D was launched once from Station 3, on September 29, 2025.
Long March 4C: In 2025, Long March 4C was launched twice from Station 3, on July 3, 2025 and August 17, 2025 respectively.
Therefore, Station 3 will launch a total of 8 times in 2025, and the shortest launch interval is about 27 days.
The capacity of Long March 3B:
Low Earth orbit load: >11.5 tons (theoretical)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (500 km): >4.5 tons (CZ-3B/E G5)
Synchronous transfer track load: >5.55 tons (CZ-3B/E G2)
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: >3.78 tons (CZ-3B/E G2)
The transport capacity of the Long March No. 2 D:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 4 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 1.9 tons (CZ-2D, 500 km)
1.3 tons (CZ-2D, 700 km)
2.1 tons (CZ-2D/YZ-3, 1000 km)
Synchronous transfer track load: 1.35 tons
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: 0.6 tons
(3) Field
It can be used to launch the Long March 11 and Kuaizhou-1A rockets.
Kuaizhou-1A: In 2025, Kuaizhou-1A was launched from the field of Xichang Satellite Launch Center once, on July 31, 2025.
Capacity of Kuaizhou No. 1A:
Low earth orbit payload:
500 kg (500 km, 45°, upgraded version)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload:
360 kg (500 km, upgraded version)
300 kg (700 km, upgraded version)
3. Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
(1) Launch Station No. 9
It is used to launch the Long March 2C, Long March 2D, Long March 4B, and Long March 4C carrier rockets.
Long March 4B: In 2025, Long March 4B was launched once from Station 9, on December 16, 2025.
(2) Launch Station No. 16
It is used to launch the Long March 6 and Kuaizhou-1A carrier rockets.
Long March 6: In 2025, Long March 6 was launched twice from Station 16, on April 3 and April 25, 2025 respectively. On April 25, 2026, Long March 6 completed its last mission and was decommissioned.
Long March 6’s transport capacity:
Low earth orbit payload: >1.5 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700 km): 500 kg-1080 kg
(3) 9A launch station
It is used to launch the Long March 6A and Long March 6C carrier rockets.
Long March 6A: In 2025, the 9A launch station launched the Long March 6A 10 times, namely: 2025.01.23; 2025.04.19; 2025.05.11; 2025. 06.06; 2025.07.27; 2025.08.17; 2025.09.07; 2025.09.27; 2025.10.17; 2025.12.09.
The capacity of the Long March 6A:
Low earth orbit payload: >8 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: >6.5 tons (500 km)
>5 tons (700 km)
(4) Field
Can be used to launch Kuaizhou No.1A.
4. Wenchang Space Launch Site
(1) Station 101
Launch the Long March 5 and Long March 5B carrier rockets.
Long March 5: In 2025, the 101 station will launch the Long March 5 twice, respectively on October 23, 2025 and December 20, 2025.
Long March 5B: In 2025, Long March 5B was launched twice from station 101, on April 29, 2025 and August 13, 2025 respectively.
Therefore, Station 101 will undertake a total of 4 launch missions in 2025, with the shortest launch interval being about 58 days.
Long March 5’s transport capacity:
Low-Earth orbit load: >32 tons (theoretical value)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700 km): >15 tons
Synchronous transfer track load: >14 tons
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: >8.35 tons
Ground fire transfer track load: >5.2 tons
Long March 5B’s transport capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 23.9 tons (LEO/CSS)
>25 tons (LEO)
(2) Station 201
Launch the Long March 7, Long March 7A, Long March 8, Long March 8A and other carrier rockets.
Long March 7: In 2025, Long March 7 was launched once from station 201, on July 15, 2025.
Long March 7A: In 2025, Long March 7A was launched 6 times from station 201, namely: 2025.03.30; 2025.05.20; 2025.09.09; 2025.11.03; 2025.11.30; 2025.12.31.
Long March 8: In 2025, Long March 8 was launched once from station 201, on March 12, 2025.
Long March 8A: In 2025, the Long March 8A was launched once from station 201, on February 11, 2025.
Therefore, Station 201 will undertake a total of 9 launch missions in 2025, with the shortest launch interval being about 27 days.
Long March 7’s transport capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 14 tons (LEO/CSS)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 5.5 tons (700 km)
The capacity of the Long March No. 7A:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 17 tons (theoretical value)
Synchronous transfer track load: >7 tons
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: 5 tons
Long March 8’s transport capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 8.1 tons (CZ-822(HO))
4.5 tons (CZ-820(HO))
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700 km): 5.5 tons (CZ-822(HO))
3 tons (CZ-820(HO))
Synchronous transfer track load: 2.8 tons (CZ-822(HO))
1 ton (CZ-820(HO))
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: ≮1.3 tons (CZ-822(HO))
The capacity of the Long March 8A:
Low Earth orbit payload: 7.5 tons (1100 km, 50°)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 7 tons (700 km)
6.8 tons (900 km)
Synchronized transfer track load: 3.5 tons
5. Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site
(1) Workstation No. 1
A dedicated launch station for the Long March 8 series launch vehicles. The rocket is occupied for 7 days before launch and 7 days for recovery after launch. It has a designed annual launch capacity of 16 rounds. On March 12, 2025, Hainan Shangfa Station No. 1 completed its first flight. As of May 31, 2026, Station No. 1 has carried out a total of 10 launch missions, respectively: March 12, 2025, July 30, 2025, 2025 August 26, October 16, 2025, December 6, 2025, December 26, 2025, January 13, 2026, March 13, 2026, April 7, 2026, May 17, 2026. Among them, the Long March 8 was used 3 times and the Long March 8A was used 7 times.
Long March 8’s transport capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 8.1 tons (CZ-822(HO))
4.5 tons (CZ-820(HO))
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700 km): 5.5 tons (CZ-822(HO))
3 tons (CZ-820(HO))
Synchronous transfer track load: 2.8 tons (CZ-822(HO))
1 ton (CZ-820(HO))
Earth-moon transfer orbit load: ≮1.3 tons (CZ-822(HO))
The capacity of the Long March 8A:
Low Earth orbit payload: 7.5 tons (1100 km, 50°)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 7 tons (700 km)
6.8 tons (900 km)
Synchronized transfer track load: 3.5 tons
(2) Workstation No. 2
The liquid universal launch station is compatible with 19 rocket launch models from 10 rocket companies. The rocket occupies space for 3 days before launch and 7 days for recovery after launch. It has a designed annual launch capacity of 16 rounds. On November 30, 2024, Hainan Shangfa Station 2 completed its first flight. As of May 31, 2026, Station 2 has carried out a total of 5 launch missions, respectively: November 30, 2024, August 4, 2025, November 10, 2025, December 12, 2025, and January 19, 2026. The rockets launched were all Long March 12.
Long March 12’s transport capacity:
Low-Earth orbit payload: ≮12 tons (200 km)
≮10 tons (300 km)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (700 km): ≮6 tons
(3) Workstations No. 3 and 4 (under construction)
The designed annual launch capacity of stations 3 and 4 will be no less than 32 rounds in total.
6. Hai Duong Oriental Spaceport
It can launch carrier rockets such as Jielong 3, Ceres 1, Gravity 1, and Long March 11.
Jielong 3: In 2025, Jielong 3 will be launched four times from the Oriental Spaceport, respectively: January 13, 2025, August 9, 2025, September 9, 2025, and September 24, 2025.
Ceres 1: In 2025, Ceres 1 launched once from the Orient Spaceport, on May 19, 2025.
Gravity 1: In 2025, Gravity 1 will be launched once from the Orient Spaceport, on October 11, 2025.
Long March 11: In 2025, Long March 11 was launched once from the Oriental Spaceport, on November 9, 2025.
Therefore, in 2025, the Oriental Spaceport will carry out a total of 7 launch missions, with the shortest launch interval being about 15 days.
Capacity of Jielong 3:
Low Earth orbit payload (650 km, 55°): 1.6 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload (500 km): 1.5 tons
Ceres 1’s capacity:
Low Earth orbit payload: 420 kg (200 km)
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 300 kg (500 km)
270 kg（700 km）
The transport capacity of Gravity One:
Low-Earth orbit payload: 6.5 tons
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 4.2 tons (500 km, solid upper stage)
5.9 tons (500 km, liquid upper stage)
The capacity of Long March 11:
Low Earth orbit payload: 700 kg
Sun-synchronous orbit payload: 500 kg (500 km)
420 kg（700 km）
