Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Watch Long March 8A Launch SpaceSail Polar Group 14 from Wenchang, LIVE!!

Credits: TSDG Wenchang & 离弦和白猫 (BiliBili) ------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe and follow my socials for more content!!! ▶️ Twitter/X @TestAiden [ThatSpaceDogeGuy] ▶️ Instagram | ThatSpaceDogeGuy ▶️ Tiktok | ThatSpaceDogeGuy ▶️ Twitch | ThatSpaceDogeGuy Footage from TSDG may be reused only with proper credit. Credit must be clearly visible in the video or …

SpaceSail Polar Group #14

Overview

Destination: Polar Orbit
Mission: Communications

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

20 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.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • July 5, 2026, 3:58 p.m.

Launch success.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 5, 2026, 1:49 p.m.

Liftoff.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 3, 2026, 12:26 p.m.

Confirmed planning for launch on July 5.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 2, 2026, 2:31 a.m.

Delayed due to launch site weather (also updated possible payload based on https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=65317.msg2800982#msg2800982).


Cosmic_Penguin • June 27, 2026, 3:25 p.m.

Refined launch window and updated launch vehicle identity per on-site sightings.


Long March 8A

Family:
Configuration: A

The Long March 8A is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology based on the Long March 8. It has an increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitude sun-synchronous orbit. It implements a larger 3.35 meters diameter liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen 2nd stage, coupled with 2 upgraded version of the YF-75D engines used on the Long March 5 (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds. The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    50.5 m
  • Diameter
    3.35 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    371.0 T
  • Thrust
    4800.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Long March 8A
  • Family
  • Variant
    A
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Long March 8A
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    9800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    3500.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    7000.0 kg

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

(CASC)

Chairman & President: Lei Fanpei Founded: 1999 Successes: 592 Failures: 15 Pending: 6

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

NASASpaceflight

Launch Preview: Swift rescue mission, final Atlas satellite launch

Several orbital launches are scheduled worldwide this week. A mission to rescue the Swift observatory… The post Launch Preview: Swift rescue mission, final Atlas satellite launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Commercial LC-1


Long March 6A
Success
11 hours, 11 minutes ago
TJSW-27A & B
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 Chinese classified satellites claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Long March 7A
Success
1 day ago
Tianlian 3-01
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL-3 (Tian Lian 3) satellites are the 3rd generation…


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 20 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-51
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.


Starship
Success
5 days, 13 hours ago
Flight 13
Orbital Launch Pad 2 - SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

13th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. Second flight of Starship V3. For the first time, Starship will carry 20 V3 Starlink sa…


Kinetica 1
Success
6 days, 12 hours ago
5 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share-ride of 5 commercial Earth observation and technology demonstration satellites to SSO, including SpaceTY's TY-48. Details TBD.


Long March 3B/E
Success
1 week ago
Tianlian 2-06
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL 2 (Tian Lian 2) satellites represent the second g…


Gravity-1
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
9 satellites
Yellow Sea (launch location 5) - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Carried 9 satellites on a share-ride to sun-synchronous orbit. Details TBD.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
MRV-1
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

The Northrop Grumman/SpaceLogistics MRV-1 is a mission extension payload including a mission robotic vehicle (MRV) and multiple mission extension pod…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 17-39
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.


Soyuz 2.1b
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
16 x Rassvet-3
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identities uncertain. Batch of 16 Rassvet-3 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Russian Byuro-1440 (Bureau 1440) conste…