At 1437 Beijing time on 12 February 2026, in the Yellow Sea near Rizhao, Shandong, the “Jielong-3” Yao-9 carrier rocket was ignited and launched on the China Successfully Launches Seven Satellites With One Rocket Today, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China successfully launched seven satellites—the Pakistan PRSC-EO2 satellite, the CUHK-1 satellite, the Power Infrared Satellite A, the Shutianyuxing 03-05 satellites, and a space environment monitoring satellite—using a Jielong-3 carrier rocket from the sea area near Yangjiang, Guangdong. The satellites successfully entered their predetermined orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success…..
successfully launched seven satellites, including the Pakistan PRSC-EO2 satellite…….Jielong-3 Y9 Rocket Launch Imminent] According to “Yangjiang Observation,” the Jielong-3 Y9 carrier rocket will launch at 14:36 on February 12th from the waters near Yangjiang, Guangdong, using a sea launch method with one rocket carrying seven satellites, the Pakistan PRSC-EO2 satellite, the CUHK-1 satellite, the Power Infrared Satellite A, the Shutianyuxing 03-05 satellites, and a space environment monitoring satellite—using a Jielong-3 carrier rocket from the sea area near Yangjiang, Guangdong. The satellites successfully entered their predetermined orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success.
The Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) is a medium-sized solid-propellant carrier rocket developed by the First Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and invested in by its subsidiary, the China Rocket Corporation. It features a four-stage tandem configuration, powered entirely by solid propellant engines developed by the Fourth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Targeted for the commercial space launch market, the rocket is primarily used for launches to Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The Jielong-3 rocket stands 31.8 meters tall, has a maximum diameter of 2.65 meters, a takeoff mass of 140 tons, and a takeoff thrust of 200 tons. When launched from sea, it can carry no less than 1.6 tons to a low-Earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 650 kilometers and an inclination of 55 degrees. The rocket was assembled at the China Rocket Corporation’s Haiyang plant in Shandong Province and features a 3.35-meter-diameter fairing.
This rocket is the first rocket of the “Jielong-3” batch production 01, marking the rocket’s transition from “customization” to “mass” production, which means that it will increase production capacity, reduce costs, support the implementation of higher-frequency launches, and meet the “low-cost, high-frequency” launch needs of commercial aerospace.
Currently, the China Rocket Corporation has signed a framework agreement with SpaceTime Aerospace for 10 rocket launches, and will conduct three consecutive launches (Yao-6, Yao-7, and Yao-8) for the Geely constellation within two months. The Yao-6 mission officially marks the beginning of a high-frequency launch of the Jielong-3 and the beginning of a period of intensive launches for the Geely constellation. This mission is the second launch of the Jielong-3 carrier rocket in 2025, the sixth launch of the Jielong-3 rocket in total and the seventh launch of the Jielong series of rockets.
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