On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 7A Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China, The Long March 7A Y20 carrier rocket At 10:10 AM Beijing time on June 23, 2026, China successfully launched the Communication Technology Test Satellite 26A into space using a Long March-7A carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The satellite successfully entered its predetermined orbit, and the launch mission was a complete success. This satellite will primarily be used for satellite communication, broadcasting, data transmission, and other services, and will conduct related technology tests ..
The Long March 7A rocket has entered a phase of higher-density launches!
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At 10:10 Beijing time on June 23, 2026, the Long March 7A Y20 carrier rocket was launched from launch pad 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China, and subsequently sent the Communication Technology Experiment Satellite 26A into its predetermined geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
The Communication Technology Experiment Satellite 26A is a large high-orbit communication satellite developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It carries payloads such as a laser subsystem and is mainly used for satellite communication, broadcasting and television, data transmission and other services, as well as to carry out related technology experiments
The Long March 7A is a medium-lift cryogenic liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It is primarily used for launching missions into medium and high Earth orbit. Based on the Long March 7, it incorporates a hydrogen-oxygen final stage from the Long March 3A series, forming a three-and-a-half-stage high-orbit rocket..
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 lift-off thrust of 727 tons, a thrust-to-weight ratio of approximately 1.28, a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) payload capacity of no less than 7 tons, and a payload factor of approximately 1.23%. This mission’s rocket is equipped with a standard 4.2-meter diameter fairing.
This mission incorporated relevant quality and safety regulations and special quality rectification documents, and developed a special plan for launch site quality control. The quality management team moved the comprehensive quality review before model delivery to the quality acceptance stage, strengthening requirements such as the implementation of technical status, controlled process quality, and on-site physical confirmation. Launch site quality management focused on the closed-loop implementation of changes in technical status, strictly controlling 46 launch site quality work items, and implementing “pre-analysis” and “post-event review” for key operational items, with rigorous benchmarking and review.
In this mission, the Long March 7A rocket’s professional test and launch team (launch team) was fully deployed for the first time, transitioning to a professional test and launch mode. This further promotes the standardization of launch site test and launch procedures, the professionalization of operational teams, and the standardization of mission management, better meeting the demands of high-density launches. Currently, the Long March 7A rocket’s technical status, test and launch procedures, and management system are mature and stable, and the launch site process has been optimized from the initial 35 days to 19 days.
Starting with this mission, the Long March 7A rocket has entered a phase of higher-frequency launches this year. Currently, the Wenchang Space Launch Site can support 12 launch missions per year for the Long March 7 series carrier rockets, with the Long March 7 itself requiring 1 to 2 launches annually. In 2025, the Long March 7A carrier rocket carried out 6 launch missions.
This mission marks the second launch of the Long March 7A carrier rocket in 2026, the fourth launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, the 44th launch for China, and the 149th launch worldwide. It also represents the 16th launch of the Long March 7A carrier rocket, the 27th launch of the Long March 7 series carrier rockets, and the 653rd launch of the Long March series carrier rockets.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration
