[Long March-7A Carrier Rocket Successfully Launches Shijian-28 Satellite]
At 20:20 on November 30, the Long March-7A carrier rocket lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, successfully sending the Shijian-28 satellite into its predetermined orbit. The launch mission was a complete success.
At 20:20 Beijing time on November 30, 2025, the Long March 7A Y10 carrier rocket was launched from launch pad 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, successfully sending the Shijian-28 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
The “Shijian-28” satellite is a high-orbit satellite developed under the overall leadership of the Communication and Navigation Satellite Department of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Its communication payload was developed by the Xi’an Branch of CASC. The Shijian satellite series is a large and complex network, covering both low and high orbits, and its uses include scientific exploration and technological experiments. On January 9, 2023, during the fifth launch mission of the Long March 7A (Y4) rocket, “Shijian-23” was successfully placed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
The Long March 7A is a medium-sized cryogenic liquid propellant launch vehicle developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It is mainly used for launching missions into medium and high Earth orbit. The rocket adopts a three-and-a-half-stage series-parallel configuration, with the core stage consisting of a core first stage, a core second stage, and a core third stage connected in series, and four boosters bundled together with the core first stage.
The Long March 7A rocket is 60.13 meters tall (with a standard 4.2-meter diameter fairing), its core stage has a maximum diameter of 3.35 meters, a liftoff mass of approximately 570 tons, a liftoff thrust of 727 tons, and a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) payload capacity of no less than 7 tons. This rocket is equipped with a standard 4.2-meter diameter fairing.
This launch mission marked the first use of a universal ground-based telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) system (test, launch, and control system) and a new active launch platform, enhancing the standardization and intelligence of ground equipment.
Currently, the technical status and management processes of the Long March 7A rocket are becoming increasingly mature and stable, with the launch site process gradually reduced from the initial 35 days to 19 days. Going forward, the project team will continue to strengthen quality control and technical status management, continuously optimize the testing and launch process, and further improve the rocket’s overall performance and launch efficiency.
Since its maiden flight on March 16, 2020, the Long March 7A rocket has carried out 13 launches, including 5 in 2025, compared to a previous record of 2 launches per year. The significant increase in the annual launch volume of the Long March 7A is attributed to improvements in rocket production capacity and launch efficiency, and the annual launch volume and launch density are expected to continue to rise.
This mission marks the 101st launch of the new-generation Long March rocket and the 611th launch of the Long March series rockets. It also represents the 10th launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in 2025, marking the first time the site has achieved 10 launches in a single year since its maiden voyage.
The Shijian-28 satellite was developed by the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The Long March-7A carrier rocket, developed by the First Academy of CASC, is China’s new generation of medium-lift, high-orbit liquid-fueled carrier rocket. In this mission, the Long March-7A rocket adopted a basic configuration with a 4.2-meter diameter fairing and, for the first time, used a universal ground tracking and control system and a new mobile launch platform, improving the standardization and intelligence of ground equipment.
This launch was the 611th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration
