Launches / Long March 12B

Past launch Launched successfully

Demo Flight (SpaceSail Polar Group #10)

Long March 12B, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Long March 12B lifting off with the Demo Flight (SpaceSail Polar Group #10) mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 24th launch of 2026, and its 594th in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 126th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2026, and the first from Long March 12 series Pad.

Launched
Monday, June 1, 2026, 8:40 a.m. UTC
Launch site
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China
Rocket
Long March 12B
Operator
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The mission

First test launch of CASC/CACL’s Long March 12B rocket; carried a batch of 2 operational Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with funding backed by the Shanghai local government. Initial constellation will consist of 1296 satellites by 2027 with long term plans to expand it to 12000 satellites.

Type
Test flight
Destination
Polar orbit

The rocket

Long March 12B/Changzheng 12B (LM-12B/CZ-12B) is a reusable orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Commercial Launch Vehicle Group (CACL), a subsidiary company of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The rocket is based on the Long March 12, but extensively re-designed for first stage re-usability, and use of gas generator cycle kerosene/liquid oxygen powered rocket engines in both stages. The first stage uses 9 YF-102R engines and the second stage uses 1 YF-102V engine, both from CASC's Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology (AALPT). On launch missions where the first stage is recovered, it will land on a down-range landing pad located in Minqin County, Gansu Province.

Height
72 m
Built by
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
First flew
June 1, 2026
Lifts to low Earth orbit
20,000 kg
View 3 specifications Show less
Diameter
4.4 m
Thrust at liftoff
7,940 kN
Stages
2

One flight so far, successful.

Wikipedia →

The operator

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program. It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

Sector
Government
Based in
China
Founded
1999
Run by
Lei Fanpei, Chairman & President

612 launches so far, 596 of them successful. The last 3 in a row went to plan.

english.spacechina.com → Wikipedia →

The launch site

It went up from Long March 12 series Pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China.

See the pad on a map →

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