Long March 8

Long March 8
	Rendering of Long March 8 Y1
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	CZ-8 (core only): 48 m (157 ft); CZ-8: 50.34 m (165.2 ft); CZ-8A: 50.5 m (166 ft);
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass	CZ-8 (core only): 198,000 kg (437,000 lb); CZ-8: 356,000 kg (785,000 lb); CZ-8A: 371,000 kg (818,000 lb);
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to SSO
Altitude	700 km (430 mi)
Mass	CZ-8 (core only): 3,000 kg (6,600 lb); CZ-8: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb); CZ-8A: 7,000 kg (15,000 lb);
Payload to LEO
Mass	8,100 kg (17,900 lb)
Payload to GTO
Mass	2,800 kg (6,200 lb)
Payload to TLI
Mass	1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable	Soyuz-2; Antares; Falcon 9; Atlas V; Ariane 6; H3;
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Wenchang, LC-2; Wenchang Commercial, LC-1
Total launches	16 (8: 7, 8A: 9)
Success(es)	16 (8: 7, 8A: 9)
First flight	8: 22 December 2020; 8A: 11 February 2025;
Last flight	8: 5 June 2026 (most recent); 8A: 5 July 2026 (most recent);
Boosters – K2
No. boosters	0 or 2
Height	26.903 m (88.26 ft)
Diameter	2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Powered by	1 × YF-100
Maximum thrust	SL: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf); vac: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf)
Total thrust	SL: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf); vac: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 300 s (2.9 km/s); vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)
Propellant	RP-1 / LOX
First stage – K3
Height	25.083 m (82.29 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Powered by	2 × YF-100
Maximum thrust	SL: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf); vac: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 300 s (2.9 km/s); vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)
Propellant	RP-1 / LOX
Second stage (CZ-8)
Height	12.375 m (40.60 ft)
Diameter	3 m (9.8 ft)
Powered by	2 × YF-75
Maximum thrust	167.17 kN (37,580 lbf)
Specific impulse	438 s (4.30 km/s)
Propellant	LH2 / LOX
Second stage (CZ-8A)
Height	12.375 m (40.60 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Powered by	2 × YF-75H
Maximum thrust	200 kN (45,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	442.6 s (4.340 km/s)
Propellant	LH2 / LOX
	[edit on Wikidata]

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).^[4]

Design

The rocket is based on the Long March 7 with its dual engine first stage and single engine boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of the Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its second stage.

Whereas the LM-7 uses 4 boosters, the LM-8 normally uses just 2. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.^[1]

In 2018 it was planned that a future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will be partially reusable by featuring a combined booster recovery of the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.^[5]

History

The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.^[6]

The "core only" variant first flew in February 2022.^[1]

CZ-8A variant

An upgraded version of the Long March 8, the Long March 8A (Chinese: 长征八号甲运载火箭), has successfully debuted on February 11, 2025^[7] with increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitude sun-synchronous orbit.

Its hydrolox 2nd stage has a larger diameter (to match the 3.35 meters diameter core stage), and has 2 upgraded versions of the YF-75D engines (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds.

According to a public announcement published by China's bureau of procurement on its information platform in June 2026, the China Academy of Sciences has applied for the single-source procurement of a Long March launch vehicle to launch the Enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry Observatory (liekly for a Long March 8A to launch in 2030). The prospective contract amount is for 245.2 million RMB (about $36.1 million at 2026 exchange rate).^[8]

The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.

Launch statistics

Launch outcomes

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

2020

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

Failure
Partial failure
Success
Planned

Rocket configurations

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

2020

'21

'22

'23

'24

'25

'26

CZ-8 core only
CZ-8 standard
CZ-8A

List of launches

Flight No.	Variant	Variant serial Nr.	Date / time (UTC)	Launch site	Payload	Orbit	Outcome
1	CZ-8	Y1	22 December 2020 04:37^[6]^[9]	Wenchang, LC‑2	Xinjishu Yanzheng 7 (XJY-7) Haisi-1 Tianqi Xingzuo 08 (Ping'an-1) Yuanguang-1 ET-SMART-RSS (Zhixing-1A)	SSO	Success
2	CZ-8 (core only)^[10]	Y2	27 February 2022 03:06^[10]	Wenchang, LC‑2	Dayun (Xingshidai-17) Hainan-1 01, 02 Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 10–18 Jilin-1 Mofang-02A 01 Qimingxing-1 Taijing-3 01 Taijing-4 01 Tianxian-1 (Chaohu-1) Chuangxing Leishen Wenchang-1 01, 02 XD-1 Tianqi-19	SSO	Success
3	CZ-8	Y3	20 March 2024 00:31^[11]	Wenchang, LC‑2	Queqiao-2 Tiandu-1 Tiandu-2	Lunar	Success
4	CZ-8A	Y1	11 February 2025 09:30^[12]	Wenchang, LC‑2	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 02)	LEO	Success
5	CZ-8	Y6	11 March 2025 16:38^[13]	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 05)	Polar	Success
6	CZ-8A	Y3	30 July 2025 07:49^[14]	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 06)	LEO	Success
7	CZ-8A	Y2	25 August 2025 19:08^[15]	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 10)	LEO	Success
8	CZ-8A	Y4	16 October 2025 01:33	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 12)	LEO	Success
9	CZ-8A	Y5	6 December 2025 07:53	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 14)	LEO	Success
10	CZ-8A	Y6	25 December 2025 23:26	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 17)	LEO	Success
11	CZ-8A	Y7	13 January 2026 15:25	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 18)	LEO	Success
12	CZ-8A	Y8	12 March 2026 19:48	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 20)	LEO	Success
13	CZ-8	Y7	7 April 2026 13:32^[16]	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 07)	Polar	Success
14	CZ-8	Y8	17 May 2026 14:42	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group #9)	Polar	Success
15	CZ-8	Y9	5 June 2026 06:34	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 12)	Polar	Success
16	CZ-8A	Y9	5 July 2026 13:43	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	Qianfan × 20 (G60 Polar Group 14)	Polar	Success
17	CZ-8A	Y10	4 August 2026 11:00	Wenchang Commercial, LC‑1	TBA		Planned

References

1 2 3 4 5 "长征八号遥二运载火箭飞行试验取得圆满成功". people.cn (in Chinese (China)). 27 February 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
1 2 Zhengyu, Song; Lidong, Liu; Xiaofei, Chen; Shanshu, Xu; Yitian, Wu (April 2023). "Development and Key Technologies of Long March 8 Family: China's Next-generation Medium-lift Launchers". Journal of Astronautics. 44 (4): 476–485. doi:10.3873/j.issn.1000-1328.2023.04.002. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
↑ "长征八号改进型火箭二子级暨通用氢氧末级全系统试车成功！长征八号改进型火箭今年首飞 (All-Systems testing of upgraded Long March 8 second stage/universal LH2/LOX upper stage a success! Upgraded Long March 8 will first launch this year)" (in Chinese). CALT. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
↑ 贾平凡 (28 December 2020). "长征八号首飞成功中国运载火箭家族再添新成员" (in Simplified Chinese). 新华社. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
↑ Jones, Andrew (30 April 2018). "China to test rocket reusability with planned Long March 8 launcher". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
1 2 Jones, Andrew (22 December 2020). "China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport". SpaceNews. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
↑ Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
↑ "中国科学院中国科学院国家空间科学中心单一来源采购中国科学院国家空间科学中心增强型X射线时变与偏振空间天文台运载火箭征求意见公示". CCGP.gov.cn. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.
↑ "长征八号运载火箭首次飞行试验取得圆满成功" [First Long March 8 rocket test flight was a complete success]. CNSA (in Chinese). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
1 2 Jones, Andrew (27 February 2022). "China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
↑ "China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications". Xinhua. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
↑ Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
↑ "长征八号运载火箭完成转场合练，海南商发一号发射工位将迎来首飞任务" [Long March 8 rocket completed pad dress rehearsal ahead of first launch from Wenchang Commercial Launch Site Pad No. 1]. Sina.com. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
↑ Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.^{[dubious – discuss]}
↑ Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.^{[dubious – discuss]}
↑ "长征八号运载火箭完成转场合练，海南商发一号发射工位将迎来首飞任务" [Long March 8 rocket completed pad dress rehearsal ahead of first launch from Wenchang Commercial Launch Site Pad No. 1]. Sina.com. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.^{[dubious – discuss]}

[CZ8Y2-1] 1 2 3 4 5 "长征八号遥二运载火箭飞行试验取得圆满成功". people.cn (in Chinese (China)). 27 February 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

[CZ8A-2] 1 2 Zhengyu, Song; Lidong, Liu; Xiaofei, Chen; Shanshu, Xu; Yitian, Wu (April 2023). "Development and Key Technologies of Long March 8 Family: China's Next-generation Medium-lift Launchers". Journal of Astronautics. 44 (4): 476–485. doi:10.3873/j.issn.1000-1328.2023.04.002. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

[CZ8A2ndstage-3] "长征八号改进型火箭二子级暨通用氢氧末级全系统试车成功！长征八号改进型火箭今年首飞 (All-Systems testing of upgraded Long March 8 second stage/universal LH2/LOX upper stage a success! Upgraded Long March 8 will first launch this year)" (in Chinese). CALT. Retrieved 7 June 2024.

[4] 贾平凡 (28 December 2020). "长征八号首飞成功中国运载火箭家族再添新成员" (in Simplified Chinese). 新华社. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.

[AJ-SN2018-5] Jones, Andrew (30 April 2018). "China to test rocket reusability with planned Long March 8 launcher". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

[SN20201222-6] 1 2 Jones, Andrew (22 December 2020). "China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport". SpaceNews. Retrieved 22 December 2020.

[7] Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 12 February 2025.

[CCGP-08062026-8] "中国科学院中国科学院国家空间科学中心单一来源采购中国科学院国家空间科学中心增强型X射线时变与偏振空间天文台运载火箭征求意见公示". CCGP.gov.cn. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 5 July 2026.

[9] "长征八号运载火箭首次飞行试验取得圆满成功" [First Long March 8 rocket test flight was a complete success]. CNSA (in Chinese). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.

[SpaceNews_Y2-10] 1 2 Jones, Andrew (27 February 2022). "China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 March 2022.

[11] "China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications". Xinhua. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.

[8A-1-12] Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

[13] "长征八号运载火箭完成转场合练，海南商发一号发射工位将迎来首飞任务" [Long March 8 rocket completed pad dress rehearsal ahead of first launch from Wenchang Commercial Launch Site Pad No. 1]. Sina.com. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.

[14] Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.^{[dubious – discuss]}

[15] Jones, Andrew (11 February 2025). "First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit". SpaceNews. Retrieved 11 February 2025.^{[dubious – discuss]}

[16] "长征八号运载火箭完成转场合练，海南商发一号发射工位将迎来首飞任务" [Long March 8 rocket completed pad dress rehearsal ahead of first launch from Wenchang Commercial Launch Site Pad No. 1]. Sina.com. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.^{[dubious – discuss]}

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v t e Long March (rocket family)
Rockets	Feng Bao 1 Long March 1 1D Long March 2 2A 2C 2D 2E 2F Long March 3 3A 3B 3B/E 3C Long March 4 4A 4B 4C Long March 5 5B Long March 6 6A 6C Long March 7 7A Long March 8 8A Long March 9 Long March 10 10B Long March 11 11H Long March 12 12A 12B
Launch sites	Jiuquan Taiyuan Wenchang Commercial Xichang
Manufacturers	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology
Designers	Wang Xiji
List of Long March launches

v t e Orbital launch systems
List of orbital launch systems Comparison of orbital launch systems
Current	Angara 1.2 A5 Ariane 6 Atlas V Ceres 1 1S 2^† Chollima-1 Electron Eris^† Falcon 9 Block 5 Falcon Heavy Firefly Alpha Gravity-1 GSLV H3 HANBIT-NANO^† Hyperbola-1 Jielong 1 3 KAIROS^† Kaituozhe 2 Kinetica 1 2 Kuaizhou 1 1A 11 Long March 2C 2D 2F 3A 3B/E 3C 4B 4C 5 5B 6 6A 6C 7 7A 8 10B 11 11H 12 12A 12B LVM3 Minotaur I IV V C New Glenn Nuri OS-M1^† Proton-M PSLV Qaem 100 Qased Shavit 2 Simorgh SLS Block 1 Soyuz-2 2.1a / STA 2.1b / STB Soyuz-5 Spectrum^† SSLV Starship Tianlong 2 3^† Unha Vega C Vulcan Centaur Zhuque 2E 3
In development	Antares 330 Bloostar Blue Whale 1 Cyclone-4M Deca Eclipse Epsilon S Gravity-2 Hyperbola-2 Kinetica 2H 3 KSLV-III Kuaizhou 21 31 Long March 9 10 10A Miura 5 Neutron New Line 1 NGLV Nova OS-M 2 4 Pallas-1 RFA One SLS Block 1B Block 2 Soyuz-7 Terran R VLM Vega E Zero Zuljanah
Retired	Antares 110 120 130^† 230 230+ Ariane 1 2 3 4 5 ASLV Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III LV-3B SLV-3 Able^† Agena Centaur Black Arrow Conestoga^† Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 II III IV IV Heavy Diamant Dnepr Energia Epsilon Europa I^† II^† Falcon 1 Falcon 9 v1.0 v1.1 v1.2 "Full Thrust" Feng Bao 1 GSLV Mk I H-I H-II H-IIA H-IIB Juno I Juno II Kaituozhe-1 Kosmos original 1 2/2I 3 3M Lambda 4S LauncherOne Long March 1 1D^† 2A 2E 3 3B 4A Mu 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII V N1^† N-I N-II Naro-1 Paektusan^† Pegasus XL Pilot-2^† R-7 Luna Molniya M L Polyot Soyuz original FG L M U U2 2-1v Soyuz/Vostok Sputnik Voskhod Vostok L K 2 2M R-29 Shtil' Volna^† Rocket 3 RS1^† Safir 1 1A 1B Saturn I IB V Scout X-1 Blue Scout II^† X-2^† X-2M X-3 X-3M X-4 X-2B^† B A B-1 D-1 A-1 E-1 F-1 G-1 Shavit original 1 SLV Space Shuttle SPARK^† Sparta SS-520 Start-1 Terran 1^† Thor Able Ablestar 1 2 Agena A B D Burner 1 2 Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena SLV-2G SLV-2H Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Tsyklon R-36-O original 2 3 Universal Rocket UR-500 Proton Proton-K Rokot Strela Vanguard Vega original VLS-1^† Zenit 2 2M 2FG 3SL 3SLB 3F Zhuque 1^† 2
Classes	Sounding rocket Small-lift launch vehicle Medium-lift launch vehicle Heavy-lift launch vehicle Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
This template lists historical, current, and future space rockets that at least once attempted (but not necessarily succeeded in) an orbital launch or that are planned to attempt such a launch in the future Symbol ^† indicates past or current rockets that attempted orbital launches but never succeeded (never did or has yet to perform a successful orbital launch)

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