On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12B Reusable Carrier r flight rocket …. Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone JiuquanSatelliteLaunchCenter, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China First Flight a Success! Long March 12B Rocket Successfully Launches the 10th Batch of Qianfan Constellation Satellites] At 16:40 on June 1st, the Long March 12B carrier rocket ignited and lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone, subsequently sending the 10th batch of Qianfan constellation satellites into their predetermined orbits. The maiden flight was a complete success. This adds another high-capacity commercial rocket to China’s large-scale internet constellation networking mission.
The Long March 12B rocket was developed by China Commercial Rocket Company, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
This launch was the 647th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets. (
🚀 Key Achievements of the Maiden Flight Mission
- Launch time and payload : At 16:40 Beijing time on June 1, 2026, the Long March 12B rocket was launched from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone, successfully sending the tenth batch of Qianfan constellation networking satellites (officially referred to as “Qianfan Polar Orbit 08 Group Satellites”) into their predetermined orbits. The maiden flight achieved “double success in launch and orbit insertion”
- The main body and cycle of development : The development was led by China Commercial Rocket Company (CCOM), a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It took only 21 months from blueprint design to the first flight , setting a record for the speed of development of medium and large rockets in China.
- Historical significance : This mission marks the 647th launch of the Long March series carrier rockets , signifying that China’s commercial space program has officially entered a new stage of large-capacity, high-density network deployment.
⚙️ Technological Breakthrough of the 20-Ton “Capacity Champion”
- Powertrain :
- It uses liquid oxygen and kerosene propellant . The first stage is equipped with nine YF-102R engines with a thrust of 100 tons each (90 tons at sea level, supporting variable thrust at depths of 50% to 105%), and the second stage is equipped with one YF-102RV vacuum engine (710 kN vacuum thrust), with a takeoff thrust of 800 tons.
- By integrating nine engines into a large-diameter common-bottom tank and an integrated tail section design , the rocket body achieves systematic “weight reduction and slimming,” thereby improving carrying efficiency.
- Intelligent control :
- Equipped with dual flight control computer systems (one for primary and one for secondary flight control), it has fault diagnosis and reconfiguration capabilities, and can monitor the status of nine engines in milliseconds and automatically “coordinate and compensate”
- For the first time, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) technology was applied to achieve microsecond-level synchronous transmission of more than 8,000 parameters across the entire rocket.
- Recycling Design :
- Although the rocket was not actually recovered during its maiden flight, it has been equipped with four grid fins, four landing legs, and an attitude control system , which provides a foundation for technical verification in subsequent vertical recovery tests
🏭 “Archery range integration” creates a closed business loop
- Self-developed launch pad : The mission utilizes China’s first self-built test and development pad for commercial rockets , capable of supporting the launch of 1,000-ton thrust rockets and achieving compatibility and rapid recovery capability with multiple propellants such as liquid oxygen and kerosene
- Low-cost strategy : Innovative application of mature products such as automotive-grade components and industrial-grade flexible cable networks reduces the weight of cable networks by 30% to 40% , significantly reducing manufacturing costs.3140
🔮 Reusable technology verification and follow-up plans
- Step-by-step iterative path : The maiden flight focuses on verifying the reliability of orbit insertion. Subsequently, a vertical recovery test of the first stage will be carried out at an opportune time, with a target of ≥10 recovery and reuse times and a near-ground carrying capacity of approximately 12 tons in the recovery mode.
- Market positioning : Targeting China’s low-Earth orbit constellation networking needs (such as the “China Star Network” plan of 12,000 satellites), it supports large-scale constellation deployment with high-frequency and low-cost launches , and the cost per launch is expected to be more than 40% lower than that of traditional rockets.
The successful maiden flight marks China, People’s republic of China entry into the field of heavy-lift launch vehicles for commercial rockets. Subsequent breakthroughs in recovery technology and routine launch capabilities will become key variables in breaking the bottleneck of “many satellites but few rockets” and reshaping the global commercial launch landscape…
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration