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Long March 8

The Long March 8 (CZ-8) is a two-stage, medium-lift expendable launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) for the China National Space Administration (CNSA).^[1] It is designed primarily for sun-synchronous orbits, capable of delivering up to 4.5 metric tons to a 700 km altitude, making it suitable for deploying constellations of small satellites and Earth observation missions.^[2] The rocket measures 50.34 meters in length, has a diameter of 3.35 meters, and a liftoff mass of 356 metric tons.^[1] Development of the Long March 8 began in the mid-2010s as part of China's push to expand its commercial space capabilities, drawing on proven components from the Long March 7 for cost efficiency and reliability.^[3] The baseline configuration features a first stage with a central core powered by two YF-100 kerosene/liquid oxygen engines and two strap-on boosters each with one YF-100, providing a total liftoff thrust of approximately 4,800 kN.^[1]^[4] The second stage is powered by two YF-75 engines using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for precise orbital insertion.^[1] It made its maiden flight on December 22, 2020, from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, successfully deploying the Jilin-1 Gaofen-02A and 02B Earth observation satellites, an Internet-of-Things test satellite, and six small satellites into orbit.^[2]^[3]^[1] The Long March 8 family includes configurable variants to meet diverse mission needs, such as a core-only version for lighter payloads of about 3 metric tons to low Earth orbit, which first flew in February 2022.^[4]^[5] The primary upgrade is the Long March 8A, introduced to support large-scale low-Earth orbit constellations, featuring an enlarged 3.35-meter-diameter cryogenic second stage powered by two upgraded YF-75D liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines.^[6] This variant extends the height to 50.5 meters, increases liftoff mass to 371 metric tons, enabling payloads of up to 7 metric tons to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit or 9.8 metric tons to low Earth orbit.^[6]^[7] The 8A also accommodates a larger 5.2-meter payload fairing for bulkier satellites.^[8] Since its debut, the Long March 8 has conducted nine successful missions as of November 2025, primarily from Wenchang, including the deployment of the Queqiao-2 relay satellite for lunar communications in March 2024, contributions to commercial constellations like Thousand Sails in March 2025, and ongoing Guowang megaconstellation deployments with the 8A variant in October and November 2025.^[9]^[10]^[6]^[11]^[12] The 8A variant achieved its first flight on February 11, 2025, orbiting 10 Guowang megaconstellation satellites, marking a step toward higher-cadence launches for China's space ambitions.^[13]^[6] All flights to date have been successful, underscoring the vehicle's reliability in supporting both national and commercial space endeavors.^[5]

Development

Origins and requirements

The development of the Long March 8 was initiated in 2017 by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), to meet the increasing demand for economical launches to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and low Earth orbit (LEO).^[2]^[3] This effort addressed the limitations of older vehicles like the Long March 2 and 4 series, which relied on hypergolic propellants and were less efficient for small-to-medium payloads in commercial missions.^[14] By adopting kerosene-fueled engines, the Long March 8 aimed to provide a more cost-effective alternative, supporting higher launch rates for satellite constellations and rideshare opportunities.^[3] Key requirements emphasized commercial viability, modularity, and scalability to handle payloads of up to 3,000 kg to a 700 km SSO without side boosters, increasing to 5,000 kg when boosters are added.^[2] The design incorporated potential for reusability in future iterations, aligning with China's goals for its space station and national satellite networks such as Guowang.^[15] Early specifications targeted a vehicle height of 50.34 meters and a liftoff mass of 356 tonnes, drawing on proven components like the YF-100 kerolox engines inherited from the Long March 5 and 7 rockets for the first stage.^[2]^[3] Strategically, the Long March 8 formed part of China's broader modernization of the Long March family, seeking to boost annual launch cadence, lower per-launch costs to under $30 million, and facilitate frequent missions for small satellites amid growing domestic and international demand.^[4] This positioned it as a versatile medium-lift option for emerging constellation projects, reducing reliance on higher-capacity vehicles for lighter loads.^[15]

Timeline and milestones

The development of the Long March 8 rocket officially commenced in 2017 under the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), with formal approval from Chinese officials in May of that year.^[3] The project, led by CALT as part of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), focused on creating a versatile medium-lift vehicle supporting both expendable operations and future reusability.^[2] By 2018, the initial design was frozen, integrating an expendable baseline configuration with provisions for reusable variants.^[16] Between 2018 and 2019, key component testing advanced the program, including ground tests of the YF-100 engines and fabrication of structural prototypes to validate the rocket's modular architecture.^[17] During this period, CASC announced ambitious reusability objectives for the Long March 8 series, aiming for vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) capabilities by the mid-2020s to enhance cost efficiency for commercial missions.^[18] These efforts built on inherited technologies from earlier Long March vehicles, emphasizing rapid iteration toward operational readiness.^[1] In October 2020, assembly of the first flight vehicle was completed at CALT's facilities in Beijing, marking the transition from prototyping to integration.^[2] The maiden launch followed on December 22, 2020, from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, successfully orbiting five test satellites and confirming the core stage's performance with its dual YF-100 engines.^[3] This flight validated the baseline design's reliability for sun-synchronous orbits up to 700 km altitude.^[19] From 2021 to 2024, post-flight analysis drove iterative enhancements, such as refined propulsion controls and structural optimizations based on operational data from subsequent missions.^[1] Notable efforts included fairing recovery experiments to support payload reusability, with a successful 5.2-meter fairing separation test conducted on a modified Long March 8 in March 2024.^[20] Parallel work prepared the ground for the Long March 8A variant, addressing increased payload demands through upper-stage upgrades.^[6] In 2025, the program reached full operational maturity, with the Long March 8A debuting on February 11 from Wenchang, demonstrating enhanced capabilities for low-Earth orbit constellations.^[13] Commercial launch infrastructure was qualified shortly after, enabling the first mission from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site on March 11.^[10] By November 2025, the Long March 8 family had completed eight successful launches, solidifying its role in China's expanding commercial space sector.^[21] As of November 2025, all Long March 8 launches remain expendable, with reusability development ongoing but no flight tests achieved, and focus partially shifted to other vehicles in the Long March family.^[22]

Design

Configuration and specifications

The Long March 8 is configured as a two-stage expendable launch vehicle, optionally augmented by two liquid boosters to enhance performance for medium-lift missions. The core stages feature a 3.35-meter diameter, with the overall vehicle standing 50.34 meters tall and a liftoff mass of 356,000 kilograms when fully fueled and configured with boosters.^[23]^[2] Payload capacities vary by configuration: with the two boosters, it delivers 4,500 to 5,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), while the core-only variant supports approximately 3,000 kilograms to the same orbit; to low Earth orbit (LEO), the maximum capacity reaches approximately 8,000 kilograms.^[2]^[24]^[1] The vehicle accommodates payload fairings of either 4.2-meter or 5.2-meter diameter, with corresponding lengths of 12.5 meters or 15.5 meters to suit diverse satellite sizes and mission envelopes.^[23]^[25] Structural components employ advanced materials for efficiency and durability, including aluminum-lithium alloys for the propellant tanks to reduce weight while maintaining strength, and carbon fiber composites for the fairings to provide lightweight thermal protection.^[26] Future reusable variants of the first stage are planned to incorporate grid fins for aerodynamic control during descent, enabling precision landings.^[27]^[28] This configuration enables versatile mission profiles, including rideshare deployments of more than 20 small satellites in a single launch, geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) injections facilitated by the upper stage, and dedicated SSO insertions for Earth observation satellite constellations.^[29]^[1]

Stages and propulsion

The Long March 8 employs a two-stage configuration with optional liquid-fueled boosters, utilizing kerosene-based and cryogenic propellants to achieve efficient ascent profiles for medium-lift missions. The baseline design prioritizes non-toxic propellants, marking a shift from traditional hypergolic systems in earlier Chinese rockets, to enhance safety and environmental compatibility during ground operations and recovery attempts.^[3]^[1] The first stage measures 25.083 meters in length and 3.35 meters in diameter, powered by two YF-100 liquid engines burning RP-1 (refined kerosene) and liquid oxygen (LOX) in a staged combustion cycle. Each YF-100 engine generates 1,199 kN of thrust at sea level with a specific impulse of 300 seconds, increasing to 1,340 kN and 335 seconds in vacuum; the combined sea-level thrust totals approximately 2,400 kN to provide initial liftoff acceleration.^[1]^[30] Optional side boosters, each 26.903 meters long and 2.25 meters in diameter, attach to the core stage and are fitted with a single YF-100 engine using the same RP-1/LOX propellants, enabling enhanced payload capacity for sun-synchronous orbits by adding roughly 2,400 kN of total first-stage thrust when deployed.^[1] The stage incorporates thrust vector control via engine gimbaling for pitch and yaw stability, supplemented by cold-gas attitude thrusters during coast phases.^[3] The second stage spans 12.375 meters in length and 3 meters in diameter, driven by two YF-75 hydrolox engines using liquid hydrogen (LH2) and LOX in an open expander cycle for high-efficiency vacuum performance. Each YF-75 engine produces 83.6 kN of vacuum thrust with a specific impulse of 438 seconds, allowing the stage to perform multiple restarts for precise orbit insertion; vernier thrusters provide fine attitude control using hypergolic propellants.^[31]^[1] This restartable design supports complex mission profiles, such as multiple satellite deployments, while the hydrolox combination delivers superior efficiency compared to kerolox systems, contributing to the rocket's overall velocity increment for low Earth orbit insertion.^[3] A notable innovation in the propulsion architecture is the first stage's dual-engine redundancy, enabling continued flight on a single engine in case of failure, which enhances mission reliability without compromising the baseline expendable profile.^[1]

Variants

Baseline Long March 8

The baseline Long March 8 utilizes a 3-meter-diameter second stage powered by two YF-75 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines, enabling precise orbital insertions for multiple small satellite deployments. This stage, derived from the Long March 3 series, supports rideshare missions optimized for over 22 satellites per launch, distinguishing the baseline from later variants with larger upper stages. The first stage shares a 3.35-meter-diameter core with two YF-100 kerosene/liquid oxygen engines, which can be augmented by optional liquid boosters to enhance payload capacity. In terms of performance, the baseline configuration achieves a maximum payload of 4.5 tonnes to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) when using boosters, making it suitable for medium-lift missions to low Earth orbit (LEO). It emphasizes cost-effectiveness for commercial operations, exemplified by the February 2022 mission that successfully orbited 22 satellites, including several from the Jilin-1 Earth observation series developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co.^[29] Operationally, the baseline Long March 8 functions in expendable mode for the majority of flights, with its four successful missions by late 2025 demonstrating high reliability and no major failures. Early development efforts included fairing recovery experiments in 2021 to explore reusability elements, though full implementation remains in testing for future iterations. The vehicle primarily serves LEO and SSO applications, focusing on Earth observation, technology demonstrations, and constellation prototypes; notable among these is the March 2025 commercial debut of the Thousand Sails broadband network, which deployed 18 satellites from a new Hainan commercial launch site.^[10]

Long March 8A

The Long March 8A is an enhanced variant of the Long March 8 rocket, designed primarily to accommodate larger payloads for medium- and low-Earth orbit constellation missions. Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), it inherits the baseline model's first stage core and two liquid-propellant boosters but introduces significant upgrades to the upper stage for improved performance.^[32] The rocket stands at a height of 50.5 meters and features a standard 5.2-meter-diameter payload fairing to support bulkier satellite deployments.^[33] Its payload capacity reaches 7,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), enabling efficient launches of mega-constellation components.^[32] Key enhancements center on the second stage, which has an expanded 3.35-meter diameter and is powered by two upgraded YF-75DA hydrolox engines, delivering over 10 percent more thrust than the YF-75D variants used in prior configurations.^[34]^[35] These engines operate on a new expander cycle, reducing overall weight while enhancing propulsion efficiency for extended burns in orbit. The design prioritizes compatibility with high-volume satellite stacks, such as those for broadband networks, allowing for the deployment of up to nine satellites per launch in representative Guowang missions.^[6] This configuration boosts reliability for frequent operations, addressing the demands of rapid constellation buildup.^[13] Development of the Long March 8A spanned 28 months, culminating in qualification through 44 major ground tests by late 2024, which validated its systems for operational use.^[36] The variant achieved its maiden flight on February 11, 2025, from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, successfully orbiting a batch of Guowang low-Earth orbit satellites for China's national broadband constellation.^[6] By November 2025, it had completed four successful launches, including the October 16 mission that marked the 600th overall flight in the Long March series, all focused on advancing the Guowang network.^[37]^[11] Since entering service in 2025, the Long March 8A has become a cornerstone for both commercial satellite operators and national security payloads, emphasizing cost-effective, high-cadence access to orbit for expansive networks like Guowang.^[38] Its optimizations support China's ambitions in global communications infrastructure, with ongoing operations underscoring its role in sustaining launch tempos exceeding previous benchmarks.^[11]

Operational history

Launch sites and infrastructure

The Long March 8 primarily launches from Launch Complex 201 (LC-201) at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, China, which offers significant equatorial advantages for missions to low Earth orbit (LEO) and sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) by leveraging Earth's rotational velocity to boost payload capacity.^[1] The site's coastal location enables southeast-oriented trajectories that minimize overflight of populated areas and facilitate safer debris dispersion over the ocean.^[1] LC-201 supported the rocket's maiden flight on December 22, 2020, marking the first use of this infrastructure for the vehicle.^[2] The Wenchang facilities incorporate vertical integration capabilities, with the rocket assembled and tested in the 99.4-meter-tall Building 502 before being transported 2.8 kilometers to LC-201 via a mobile launch platform that also serves as a transporter-erector system.^[1] This setup positions the vehicle over the launch pad's flame trench, streamlining preparation for liftoff.^[1] To accommodate commercial operations, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site—adjacent to Wenchang—features Commercial Launch Pad 1, which became operational in March 2025 and is dedicated to Long March 8 family vehicles for private sector missions.^[10] The pad's inaugural launch occurred on March 11, 2025, deploying satellites for the Thousand Sails constellation operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology Ltd., demonstrating its role in supporting non-governmental payloads.^[10] This infrastructure uses a modular steel design tailored for kerosene-liquid oxygen (kerolox) first stages, enhancing accessibility for commercial entities.^[10] Support facilities at both Wenchang and the commercial site include umbilical towers for propellant loading, handling kerolox for the first stage and boosters via YF-100 engines and liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen (hydrolox) for the second stage via YF-75 engines.^[1]^[14] Downrange tracking is provided by Yuanwang-class ships stationed in the Pacific, ensuring real-time telemetry during ascent over oceanic paths.^[39] No Long March 8 launches have occurred from inland sites such as Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, as the vehicle's SSO-focused design and Wenchang's equatorial positioning optimize efficiency, while inland facilities impose trajectory constraints due to overland flight paths and geographic limitations.^[40]^[1] Infrastructure at Wenchang and the commercial site evolved with upgrades in 2024 to support higher launch cadence, including adaptations for vertical and horizontal integration modes compatible with the Long March 8A variant and automated stacking processes to reduce preparation time.^[41] These enhancements, such as site modifications for the 8A's enlarged second stage and wider fairing, enable more frequent missions for constellation deployments.^[42]

Launch statistics

The Long March 8 family has achieved 8 successful launches from 2020 to October 2025, maintaining a 100% success rate with no partial or full failures recorded. Of these missions, 4 utilized the baseline Long March 8 configuration, while 4 employed the Long March 8A variant, reflecting the upgraded model's increasing role in operations. The average launch cadence stands at approximately 1.7 missions per year, supporting China's expanding satellite deployment needs primarily from the Wenchang Space Launch Site.^[4]^[10] Launch configurations have varied to optimize performance for mission requirements, with most flights (7 missions) incorporating strap-on liquid-fueled boosters (YF-100 engines) to achieve maximum payload capacity to sun-synchronous orbit, and 1 mission operating in core-only mode for a lighter payload. The Long March 8A has been deployed exclusively with its integrated boosters, enhancing reliability for heavier constellation builds. This flexibility has enabled efficient adaptation to diverse orbital insertion demands without compromising reliability.^[5]^[13] Payload trends emphasize satellite constellations, with over 80 satellites deployed across the program's flights, primarily smallsats for communication and Earth observation networks. Notable contributions include approximately 36 Guowang constellation satellites launched in four dedicated Long March 8A missions, advancing China's low-Earth orbit broadband infrastructure.^[6]^[11] All deployments have been fully successful, underscoring the rocket's precision in multi-payload rideshares.^[21]^[29] In terms of cost and efficiency, each Long March 8 launch is estimated at $27-30 million, positioning it as a competitive option for medium-lift missions. By November 2025, a significant portion of payloads have been commercial in nature, driven by rideshare opportunities for domestic and international customers, alongside key national missions such as the Guowang constellation and Queqiao-2 relay satellite, which has boosted the rocket's operational tempo and market share in the global smallsat sector.^[4]^[10]

Launch record

Maiden and early flights

The Long March 8 completed its maiden flight on December 22, 2020, from Launch Complex 201 at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan Province, China. The baseline configuration rocket lifted off at 04:37 UTC, successfully deploying five satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit at 512 km altitude after a 15-minute ascent. The primary payload was the XJY-7, a classified remote sensing technology demonstration satellite developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, alongside four smaller satellites including the Tianqi-8 IoT communications satellite. This mission validated critical systems, including first-stage separation from the second stage and successful fairing jettison, with the second stage's two YF-75 liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen engines demonstrating restart capability during a coasting phase for precise orbit insertion. No major anomalies occurred, though post-flight analysis identified minor trajectory deviations that informed adjustments for subsequent missions.^[2]^[14]^[3]^[27] The second flight took place on February 27, 2022, from the same Wenchang site, using a core-only configuration without side boosters to demonstrate flexibility in the baseline design. Launching at 03:06 UTC, the rocket set a national record by deploying 22 small satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit at around 700 km, marking the first multi-payload rideshare mission for the vehicle. Key payloads included 10 satellites from the Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D series, operated by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. for high-resolution Earth observation, as well as the Hainan-1 01-04 quartet for maritime surveillance and other commercial and research microsatellites from seven manufacturers. The two YF-75 engines again performed multiple restarts to achieve orbit insertion precision within the targeted 700 km altitude, while initial recovery experiments collected data on fairing splashdowns in the South Pacific for future reusability development. The mission proceeded without anomalies, reinforcing the rocket's reliability and leading to refined trajectory optimization for operational scalability.^[29]^[5]^[43]

Recent missions and achievements

In 2024, the Long March 8 conducted its third flight on March 20, launching the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, along with Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 test satellites, into a halo orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 point from Wenchang Space Launch Site's LC-201 pad, supporting China's upcoming lunar far-side and south polar missions including Chang'e-6 and Chang'e-7. This baseline configuration mission demonstrated the rocket's reliability for national scientific payloads, with the Queqiao-2 featuring advanced communication relays and scientific instruments for deep-space operations. During 2023 and 2024, preparations advanced for commercial infrastructure integration, including the completion of construction on the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site's Pad 1 in December 2023—whose inaugural launch occurred on November 30, 2024, with a Long March 12 rocket—and rehearsal activities for Long March 8 compatibility by late 2024, paving the way for private-sector launches. No flights occurred in 2023, maintaining the series' focus on validation and infrastructure buildup.^[9]^[44]^[45] The Long March 8A variant debuted on February 11, 2025, with its maiden flight (designated Y1) from Wenchang LC-201, successfully deploying the second batch of nine satellites for China's Guowang megaconstellation into low Earth orbit. This mission carried nine satellites, showcasing the upgraded vehicle's enhanced capacity of over 7,000 kg to sun-synchronous orbit, enabled by a larger second stage and fairing compared to the baseline model. The launch highlighted the rocket's role in accelerating national broadband infrastructure, with the Guowang project aiming for thousands of satellites to provide global coverage.^[6]^[13] Subsequent Long March 8A flights included a second mission in April 2025 deploying another nine Guowang satellites, and a third on August 25, 2025, sending the 10th batch of Guowang satellites into orbit.^[46] On March 11, 2025, the baseline Long March 8 (flight Y6) achieved a milestone as the first Long March 8 launch from Commercial Pad 1 at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, deploying 18 satellites for the Qianfan (Thousand Sails) constellation into low Earth orbit. This commercial debut underscored growing private-sector involvement in China's space industry, with the Qianfan project targeting 14,000 satellites for high-speed internet services, and the mission's success validated the pad's operational readiness for high-cadence rideshare deployments.^[10] The Long March 8A's fourth flight on October 16, 2025 (Y4), from Hainan Commercial Pad 1, marked the 600th overall Long March series launch and delivered the 12th group of Guowang satellites—nine in total—into orbit, reinforcing high-frequency operations for the constellation. This achievement celebrated the Long March family's legacy while demonstrating sustained production and launch tempo, with the 8A variant's efficiency supporting multiple satellite batches per mission.^[11] These recent missions have sustained the Long March 8 series' 100% success rate across seven flights as of November 2025, enabling significant progress in China's megaconstellation efforts by deploying over 100 Guowang satellites in total, with approximately 80 operational satellites launched since late 2024 across multiple rockets, and facilitating commercial constellation growth like Qianfan. The transitions to upgraded variants and commercial infrastructure have positioned the rocket as a key enabler for medium-lift, high-reliability access to low Earth orbit, contributing to national strategic goals in satellite internet and Earth observation.

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CZ-8 (Chang Zheng-8) - Gunter's Space Page
The vehicle is fueled by Kerosene and LOX and features a 3.35 m core with two YF-100 engines inherited from the CZ-7, augmented with two optional liquid rocket ...
[39]
Chang Zheng 8A launches as Chinese spaceport expansions begin
Feb 25, 2025 · The mechanism can also cope with both horizontal and vertical integration and transport modes, the latter of which is used for the CZ-8A.
[40]
Successful Inaugural Launch of China's new Long March 8A rocket
Feb 11, 2025 · The site required specific modifications to accommodate the new enlarged second stage and wider payload fairing.
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Hainan-1 to 4 and Others | Long March 8 (Core Only)
Feb 18, 2022 · Moreover, the Hainan-1 to 4 and Others mission will add ten Jilin-1 satellites to the Jilin-1 constellation of remote sensing satellite sensors.