On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 8A Carrier flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China , At 21:43 Beijing time on July 5, 2026, a Long March 8A carrier rocket successfully launched 15 Qianfan polar-orbiting satellites into their predetermined orbits from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site. This mission marked the 656th flight
of the Long March series carrier rockets. The Long March 8A Y9 carrier rocket used in this mission was the first to feature an upgraded second-stage engine, and its pressurization and delivery system was simultaneously upgraded to a two-configuration state, better suited to subsequent satellite transport needs.
This mission was the maiden flight of the Long March 8A rocket after significant performance upgrades, completing verification of several key technologies, including flight profile orbital energy optimization and the new engine. The rocket’s payload capacity has achieved a leap forward, with record-breaking numbers of satellites carried in a single launch and total weight into orbit. The upgraded powerful payload capacity further solidifies the technical foundation for subsequent high-density, large-payload, and batch constellation launches.
Recent Key Updates on Launch Missions
- July 5th Mission (Qianfan Polar Orbit 15) : At 21:43, the Long March 8A Y9 carrier rocket was launched from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, accurately sending 20 satellites into orbit using a “one rocket, 20 satellites” method. This was the 656th flight of the Long March series rockets. During the mission, the impact of Typhoon Maysak was effectively addressed, and the mission was successfully completed after dynamic adjustments to the launch window
- July 4 mission (Qianfan Polar Orbit Group 13) : At 17:30, the Long March 6A carrier rocket was successfully launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in a “one rocket, eighteen satellites” manner. After this launch, the total number of Qianfan constellations in orbit reached 223 (including 5 experimental satellites and 218 networking satellites).
- Cross-field coordination and high-frequency rhythm : Successful launches from the north and south launch sites within two days have verified China’s mature scheduling capabilities for multi-rocket formation coordination, parallel testing in multiple locations, and high-density launches and tests in commercial spaceflight
Qianfan Constellation Network Deployment Progress and Construction Plan
The “Qianfan Constellation” (also known as G60 Starlink), built and operated by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., is my country’s first mega-scale low-Earth orbit commercial satellite internet constellation to enter the formal networking phase. Its construction is progressing steadily according to the following milestones:
| stage | Target size | Core missions and coverage |
| Current progress | 238 (as of July 5) | During the intensive launch period, we are making an all-out effort to achieve the first-phase goal. |
| Phase I network construction | 324 | It is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, achieving regional network coverage. |
| Phase II Expansion | 1296 | The plan is to complete the project by 2027, achieving global network coverage. |
| Long-term planning | More than 15,000 | Supports the integration of multimedia a |
Key Technology Breakthroughs and Supply Chain Verification – **Leap in Launch Performance**: The Long March 8A Y9 rocket, which carried out the mission on July 5th, underwent its first upgrade to its second-stage engine, and simultaneously replaced its pressurized delivery system with a 2-configuration system. The upgrade optimized the flight profile and orbital energy, achieving new highs for both the number of rockets carried in a single launch and the total weight into orbit
**Innovation in Launch and Testing Efficiency**: Hainan Commercial Launch has established a parallel operation mode with dual vertical test stations for the Long March 8 series, increasing its annual launch and testing capacity to 30 launches; the Long March 6A rocket has simultaneously completed the modification of the second-stage propellant tank protection scheme and the optimization of the integrated external test and safety control equipment, significantly enhancing the efficiency of final assembly and testing in multiple locations..
**Mature Mass Production of Satellites**: The networking satellites were mass-produced by companies such as Gesun Aerospace and the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The breakthrough in flat-panel stacking technology from “18 satellites per rocket” to “20 satellites per rocket” proves that the flat design, thermal environment adaptability, and separation mechanism of low-Earth orbit satellites are fully mature, and the supply chain has the capability for monthly frequency delivery
🌍 Strategic Value and Commercial Prospects – **Seizing Low Earth Orbit Frequency Resources**: Low Earth orbit positions and communication frequencies follow the International Telecommunication Union’s “first-come, first-served” rule. Given that overseas constellations have already occupied a large number of high-quality orbits, the high-frequency, intensive launches of the Qianfan constellation represent a national strategic-driven resource defense effort, aiming to firmly grasp the initiative in space infrastructure.
**Filling the gaps and providing emergency support:** The constellation network will completely solve the network communication blind spots in ocean shipping, aviation internet, high-altitude deserts and marine scientific research, and provide an irreplaceable emergency information lifeline when extreme disasters cause damage to ground facilities.
**The industry is entering a period of performance realization:** Commercial aerospace is transitioning from the “proof of concept” stage to the “order delivery and operational monetization” stage. The upstream and downstream industrial chains, including satellite assembly, core onboard components (such as TR chips and radiation-resistant RF components), rocket propulsion, and ground terminal manufacturing, are experiencing a surge in orders, and the sector’s investment logic and commercial operation are maturing simultaneously.
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration
