Active
Long March 2F
Human-rated medium-lift rocket and the only Chinese launch vehicle cleared to carry astronauts, flying Shenzhou crews to the Tiangong station.
CASCLong March 7
Active
Kerolox medium-lift rocket designed as a next-generation workhorse; launches Tianzhou cargo freighters to the Tiangong space station.
Latest update Sep 14, 2026
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Current status
Operational from Wenchang since 2016, providing routine Tianzhou cargo resupply for China's crewed program; a Long March 7A variant delivered the Tianlian III-01 relay satellite on July 29, 2026, Wenchang's 50th launch. On August 10, 2026 a Long March 7A broke apart about 85 seconds after liftoff carrying the Zhongxing-4B satellite - the variant's second failure ever, after its March 2020 debut - triggering a mandatory investigation into the shared YF-100 kerolox engine that also powers the Long March 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 families. As of September 14, 2026 CASC has still not announced a root cause or a 7A return-to-flight date. Other Long March variants have continued flying: a Long March 5B (Aug 13), Long March 12 (Aug 16), Long March 6C (Aug 25, the 665th cumulative mission), and the 666th on September 10 (a hypergolic Long March 4B from Jiuquan, not a YF-100 vehicle).
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Specifications4
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More from CASC9
ActiveLong March 5 / 5B
China's most powerful operational rocket; the heavy-lift workhorse that launches Tiangong station modules (5B), Chang'e and Tianwen deep-space missions, and large GEO satellites.
ActiveLong March 8 / 8A
Lower-cost commercial medium-lift rocket optimized for sun-synchronous and constellation deployment, central to China's GuoWang and other satellite-internet build-out.
In DevelopmentLong March 10
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.
In DevelopmentLong March 9
Fully reusable super-heavy launch vehicle in development - a Starship-class methalox design intended for mega-constellations, lunar and Mars cargo, and future crewed deep-space missions.
ActiveShenzhou
China's crewed spacecraft, ferrying three taikonauts at a time to the Tiangong station; built by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
- Active
Long March 12B
Partially reusable, kerosene/liquid-oxygen launch vehicle built by CASC Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. for CASC's commercial constellation launch business, designed from the outset for propulsive first-stage recovery. A separate CASC reusable-rocket line, the methane/liquid-oxygen Long March 12A built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, reached orbit on its own December 2025 debut but has yet to land its booster successfully.
ActiveTianzhou
China's automated cargo spacecraft, delivering pressurized and unpressurized supplies, propellant, and experiment payloads to the Tiangong space station; built by CAST and rated the world's most capable active cargo spacecraft by transport capacity.
ActiveLong March 12
CASC Eighth Academy two-stage cryogenic launcher and China's first 4-meter-class single-core rocket. CASC says it is about 62 meters long and can lift at least 6 tonnes to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit, with optional 4.2 or 5.2 meter fairings. On Oct. 10, 2026 it flew satellite-internet LEO group 27 from Hainan as the 671st Long March mission.
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More in Rockets
ActiveFalcon 9
SpaceX
Partially reusable two-stage medium-lift launch vehicle. The world's most frequently launched orbital rocket.
ActiveFalcon Heavy
SpaceX
Heavy-lift launch vehicle consisting of a strengthened Falcon 9 core with two additional boosters.
ActiveDragon
SpaceX
Reusable spacecraft for cargo and crew transport to the International Space Station.
In DevelopmentStarship
SpaceX
Fully reusable super-heavy-lift launch system designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. V3 (Block 3) variant with Raptor 3 engines is the production version.