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 9
In Development
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.
Latest update Jul 31, 2026
01
Current status
Design centers on a reusable methalox first stage with 30 YF-215 engines. Large-diameter stainless-steel propellant tanks for the reusable stages have cleared manufacturing breakthroughs, with full-scale ground tests of major subsystems expected between 2026 and 2028. First flight is currently targeted around 2033.
02
Specifications5
03
Upcoming milestones1
Announced next steps from CASC that mention Long March 9.
Late 2020s+
Mature the fully reusable Long March 9
Develop the super-heavy, fully reusable Long March 9 for mega-constellation deployment and crewed deep-space missions later in the decade. Large-diameter stainless-steel propellant tanks for the reusable stages have cleared manufacturing breakthroughs, with full-scale ground tests of major subsystems expected between 2026 and 2028 and first flight still targeted around 2033.
04
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 7
Kerolox medium-lift rocket designed as a next-generation workhorse; launches Tianzhou cargo freighters to the Tiangong space station.
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.
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.
05
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.