On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12 flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China …. At 15:48 on January 19, 2026, the Long March 12 Y5 carrier rocket was launched from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, successfully sending 19 satellites for the satellite internet network into their predetermined orbits. The launch mission was a complete success. This launch was the 628th launch of the Long March series carrier rockets.
The satellite internet constellation is the China Satellite Network (SatNet) constellation (abbreviated as “SatNet” or “Guowang”). The 19th low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite group comprises nine LEO communication satellites, independently developed by the commercial satellite company GalaxySpace (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. This group of satellites carries several core technology products independently developed by GalaxySpace, including phased array antennas, millimeter-wave antennas, integrated electronics, and energy systems.
This mission marks the second batch launch of China’s StarNet low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in 2026, and the 19th batch launch of the constellation’s LEO satellites in total. This brings the total number of LEO satellites launched by China’s StarNet to 154, with 18 launched in 2026.
The Long March 12 is a medium-lift cryogenic liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It employs a two-stage tandem configuration and uses liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants, primarily for low and medium Earth orbit (LEO) launch missions. The rocket is nearly 62 meters tall (with a 5.2-meter diameter fairing), with a body diameter of 3.8 meters. It can be equipped with either a 5.2-meter or 4.2-meter diameter fairing. Its liftoff mass is 433 tons, and its liftoff thrust is approximately 510 tons. The rocket has a payload capacity of at least 12 tons to LEO and at least 6 tons to a 700-kilometer Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) altitude. This particular rocket uses a 5.2-meter diameter fairing.
In this mission, the project team optimized the structure and sections of the rocket, including the onboard cable network and transition compartment, achieving a 10% weight reduction while maintaining performance and strength, thus further enhancing the rocket’s carrying capacity. Simultaneously, the Long March 12 rocket team continuously optimized the work and testing items in the technical and launch areas, shortening the launch cycle. They also optimized the number of overall inspection and testing items at the launch site, reducing the launch cycle by four days and further improving testing and launch efficiency.
This mission marks the first launch of the Long March 12 carrier rocket in 2026, the second launch from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, the seventh launch for China, and the 16th launch worldwide. It also represents the fifth launch of the Long March 12 carrier rocket and the 628th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration
