Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Live: Long March 8 Qianfan Group 5 Launch (No Commentary)

Footage courtesy of SpaceLens/imjipa International Rocket Launches provides commentary-free coverage of select global rocket launches. Follow @IntRocketLaunch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/IntRoc...

SpaceSail Polar Group 05

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Polar Orbit
Mission: Communications

Polar Orbit Commercial LC-1 Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST) 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. First launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site's LC-1.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • March 11, 2025, 5:20 p.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 11, 2025, 4:40 p.m.

Liftoff.


Cosmic_Penguin • March 7, 2025, 2:08 p.m.

Launch scheduled for NET March 11 per new NOTAMs.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 20, 2024, 4:29 p.m.

NET January.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 20, 2024, 12:37 p.m.

Launch postponed and confirmed by cancellation of drop zone air/marine space closure notices.


Long March 8

Family:
Configuration:

Long March 8 (Chinese: 长征八号运载火箭) is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The rocket is based on the Long March 7 with its first stage and 2 out of its 4 boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning 3rd stage of the Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its 2nd stage. A "Core Only" version omitting the boosters is also available.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    50.34 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    356.0 T
  • Thrust
    4800.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 8
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 8
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    8100.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    2800.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    5000.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 572 Failures: 15 Pending: 11

Agency Type:

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.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

Long March 8 launches Thousand Sails satellites from commercial spaceport

HELSINKI — A new group of 18 satellites entered orbit Tuesday for the Thousand Sails constellation with the first launch from a new commercial launch pad. A Long March 8 […] The post Long March 8 launches Thousand Sails satellites from co…

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Firefly set to launch amid busy launch manifest

This week, a busy launch manifest will see SpaceX launch the Crew-10 and Starlink Group… The post Launch Roundup: SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Firefly set to launch amid busy launch manifest appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Commercial LC-1


Falcon 9
Success
5 hours, 26 minutes ago
Starlink Group 17-36
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon Heavy
Success
17 hours, 56 minutes ago
ViaSat-3 F3 (ViaSat-3 Asia-Pacific)
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

The ViaSat-3 is a series of three Ka-band satellites is expected to provide vastly superior capabilities in terms of service speed and flexibility fo…


Atlas V 551
Success
2 days, 7 hours ago
Amazon Leo (LA-06)
Space Launch Complex 41 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, thi…


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-16
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
4 days, 9 hours ago
Progress MS-34 (95P)
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.


Long March 6
Success
4 days, 19 hours ago
PRSC-EO3
Launch Complex 16 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Optical Earth observation satellite for the Pakistan government's SUPARCO.


Long March 2D
Success
6 days, 1 hour ago
4 x SatNet test satellites
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Officially described as "Satellite-Internet Technology Demonstration Satellites". Probably 4 test satellites for the Chinese state-owned LEO commu…


Angara 1.2
Success
6 days, 23 hours ago
Kosmos (Unknown Payload)
35/1 - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Unknown satellite(s) for the Russian military.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 17-14
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
1 week ago
Kakushin Rising (JAXA Rideshare)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

JAXA-manifested rideshare of eight separate spacecraft that includes educational small sats, an ocean monitoring satellite, a demonstration satellite…