Long March 10
Overview
Partially reusable super-heavy-lift rocket for the crewed lunar program, designed to separately launch the Mengzhou spacecraft and Lanyue lander to trans-lunar injection.
Completed a successful low-altitude flight and Mengzhou abort test on February 11, 2026. The single-stick, partially reusable cargo/LEO variant (Long March 10B) flew its maiden mission on July 10, 2026 and recovered its first stage in a sea-based net - China's first orbital booster recovery - with a reflight of that same booster targeted before the end of 2026, not yet flown as of mid-August 2026. The single-stick Long March 10A's own orbital debut is separately reported (April 2026) to carry a Space-Time Reference Satellite to lunar transfer orbit via a CAS Space-built Kinastra upper stage, ahead of the uncrewed Mengzhou 1 capsule test that is a distinct, later Long March 10A mission still targeted around September 2026; a subsequent report cited incomplete ground infrastructure at the new Launch Complex 301 (crew access platform, launch-pad tower, and vehicle assembly buildings not yet fully outfitted) as a risk that could push Mengzhou 1 into early 2027. Neither the satellite mission nor Mengzhou 1 had flown as of August 16, 2026. The triple-core crewed variant is targeted for 2027, aiming at a crewed Moon landing before 2030.