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China currently operates well over a dozen Long March launch vehicles. Some of these vehicles were designed in the 1960s and 1970s, while others were developed after the year 2000.
This article has been written to briefly explain each of the launch vehicles. Each vehicle has also been placed into one of four categories: modern, legacy, in-development, and retired.
But before we get to the launch vehicles, a brief explanation of the nomenclature is needed along with why so many Long March rockets exist.
Why are the rockets called Long March?
The Long March launch vehicle series is named after the various retreats of communist forces in the Chinese Civil War from October 1934 to October 1936. These forces traveled a believed 12,500 kilometers from Jiangxi, located in the south, to Yan'an, in the north.
Due to the threat of attack by nationalist forces and warlords, communist forces had to take an indirect route to Yan'an. This led to them traveling across fourteen provinces.
During the Long March, Mao Zedong emerged as the head of the Communist Party of China. The Communist Party would later go on to win the Chinese Civil War, and found the People's Republic of China on October 1st 1949.
China's early launch vehicle development occurred during the Cultural Revolution (lasting from 1966 to 1976), which placed emphasis on the revolutionary history of the Communist Party. Despite the nomenclature's origins in an uncomfortable period of modern China's history, the name has endured.
Why so many Long March rockets?
Introducing new rockets is not a trivial process and requires overlap between the old and new launch vehicles. New launch vehicles also need to prove their reliability and safety while carrying payloads.
China's state-owned launch vehicle providers and manufacturers are working towards the country's goal of phasing out its hypergolic fuelled launch vehicles. These new rockets are designed to burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen instead of Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
But why move away from the older Long March vehicles? The fuel of the older Long March launch vehicles are Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, both of which are dangerous to be around without specialist protective equipment. They were also designed in the 1970s and 1980s so production methods and design techniques have improved massively since, especially in China which is now a world-class manufacturer.
Modern operational Long March rockets
This section includes Long March launch vehicles based on newer designs that have entered service in the past decade and largely do not use hypergolic fuels.
Long March 5
The Long March 5 is China's largest and most capable launch vehicle currently in service, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The two-and-a-half-stage launch vehicle is fuelled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first and second stages along with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in four boosters.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 15,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
- 14,000 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit
- 13,000 kilograms to medium Earth orbit
- 9,400 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory
- 6,700 kilograms to a 2,000-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
- 6,000 kilograms to a trans-martian trajectory
- 5,100 kilograms to geostationary orbit
The Long March 5's first-stage is powered by two YF-77 engines, which produce 143 tons of thrust using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. To assist with liftoff, the rocket is equipped with four side boosters, each powered by two YF-100 engines that generate 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, providing a combined booster thrust of 979 tons. Together, the first stage and boosters deliver a total thrust of 1,122 tons. The second stage features two YF-75D engines, generating 18 tons of thrust with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
On the launchpad, the Long March 5 stands at up to 63.2 meters tall, with the longer of its two fairing options, and weighs up to 851,800 kilograms fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of five meters, while the four boosters have a diameter of 3.35 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters.
So far the Long March 5 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 5B
The Long March 5B is China's most capable vehicle for sending payloads to low Earth orbit, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The one-and-a-half-stage launch vehicle is fuelled with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in its first-stage along with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in four boosters.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 25,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
The Long March 5B's first-stage is powered by two YF-77 engines, which produce 143 tons of thrust using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. To assist with liftoff, the rocket is equipped with four side boosters, each powered by two YF-100 engines that generate 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, providing a combined booster thrust of 979 tons. Together, the first stage and boosters deliver a total thrust of 1,122 tons.
On the launchpad, the Long March 5B stands at up to 53.66 meters tall and weighs up to 837,500 kilograms fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of five meters, while the four boosters have a diameter of 3.35 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters.
So far the Long March 5B has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 6
The Long March 6 was the first 'green-propellant' Long March launch vehicle with it being developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. The first two stages of the vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, with the third-stage burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 1,080 kilograms into a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by a YF-100 engine producing 122 tons of thrust and fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage is powered by a YF-115 generating 18 tons of thrust while also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The third-stage is powered by a YF-50E engine generating 0.66 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launchpad, the Long March 6 is believed to be 29 meters tall and weighs 103,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, with a second-stage diameter of 2.25 meters, and a fairing diameter of 2.6 meters.
So far every Long March 6 has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province.
Long March 6A
The Long March 6A is the first new-generation launch vehicle in China to utilize a combination of solid and liquid propellants. This vehicle was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design, the boosters burn an unspecified solid propellant with the first and second stages burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 4,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines, generating a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is augmented by four solid rocket boosters, each producing 124 tons of thrust from an unspecified solid propellant, resulting in a combined booster thrust of 492 tons. Together, the first-stage and boosters generate a total thrust of 736 tons. The second stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine, producing 18 tons of thrust using also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
On the launchpad, the Long March 6A is believed to be up to 52 meters tall, two fairings are available with one 2 meters taller than the other, and weighs 530,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages of the vehicle have a diameter of 3.35 meters while the solid-fuelled boosters have a diameter of 2 meters, the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far every Long March 6A has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province.
Long March 6C
The Long March 6C is one of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology's newest launch vehicles. Both the first and second stages of the launch vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 4,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 2,400 kilograms to a 500-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
- 2,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines to generate a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons of thrust while burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second-stage also burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen and is powered by a single YF-115 engine generating 18 tons of thrust.
On the launchpad, the Long March 6C is believed to be 43 meters tall and weighs 217,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the second-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 3.35 meters.
So far every Long March 6C has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province.
Long March 7
The Long March 7, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, is a key part of China's crewed space efforts and launches at least one Tianzhou spacecraft each year. This vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second stages.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 13,500 kilograms to Low Earth orbit
The Long March 7's first stage is equipped with two YF-100 engines that produce 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, complemented by four boosters, each with a YF-100 engine generating 122 tons of thrust, resulting in a combined thrust of approximately 733 tons. The second stage is powered by four YF-115 engines, which together generate 72 tons of thrust using the same fuel combination.
On the launchpad, the Long March 7 stands at 53.1 meters tall and weighs 597,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the four boosters are 2.25 meters in diameter, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far the Long March 7 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 7A
The Long March 7A is the new-generation workhorse for beyond low Earth orbit missions, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a three-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its boosters, first, and second stages long with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 7,000 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
- 5,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
- 5,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory
The Long March 7A's first stage is equipped with two YF-100 engines that produce 245 tons of thrust using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, complemented by four boosters, each with a YF-100 engine generating 122 tons of thrust, resulting in a combined thrust of approximately 733 tons. The second stage is powered by four YF-115 engines, which together generate 72 tons of thrust using the same fuel combination. The third stage of the Long March 7A features two YF-75 engines, providing 17 tons of thrust by burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
On the launchpad, the Long March 7A stands at 60.13 meters tall and weighs 573,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the four boosters are 2.25 meters in diameter, and the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, while the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far the Long March 7A has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 8
The Long March 8 is commonly considered a cheaper, and less capable, version of the Long March 7A, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage and boosters along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 8,100 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 5,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
- 2,800 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
- 1,500 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory
The Long March 8's boosters and first-stage are powered by YF-100 engines, with two engines on the first stage and one on each of the four boosters, generating a combined thrust of 490 tons at liftoff. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75 engines which produce 17 tons of thrust.
On the launchpad, the Long March 8 stands at 50.34 meters tall and weighs 356,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the two boosters have a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the second-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 4 meters.
So far the Long March 8 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 8 (Core Alone)
The core alone Long March 8 is an even cheaper, and less capable, version of the Long March 7A, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. This vehicle utilizes a two stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 3,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 1,400 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
The core alone Long March 8's first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines generating 245 tons of thrust. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75 engines which produce 17 tons of thrust.
On the launchpad, the core alone Long March 8 stands at 48 meters tall and weighs 198,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first-stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters, the second-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, and the fairing has a believed diameter of 4 meters.
So far the core alone Long March 8 has only flown from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 8A
The Long March 8A is an improved and more cost-efficient upgrade of the Long March 8 and the future workhorse of its developer, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The vehicle utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design and is fuelled by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in its first-stage and boosters along with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the second-stage.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 7,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
The Long March 8A's boosters and first-stage are powered by YF-100 engines, with two engines on the first stage and one on each of the four boosters, generating a combined thrust of 490 tons at liftoff. The second-stage is equipped with two YF-75H engines which produce 20 tons of thrust.
On the launchpad, the core alone Long March 8 stands at 50.5 meters tall and weighs 371,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, the two boosters have a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the fairing has a diameter of 5.2 meters.
Currently, the Long March 8A is only flown from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Long March 11
The Long March 11 is the smallest Long March vehicle, in terms of size and lift capability, currently in service and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. All four stages of the Long March 11 burn an unknown solid propellant.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 700 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 350 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
At ignition the Long March 11 is powered by a solid rocket motor burning an unknown solid propellant to generate 122 tons of thrust, the three other stages have no publically known details.
On the launchpad, the Long March 11 stands at 20.8 meters tall and weighs 58,000 kilograms when prepped for launch. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 2 meters while the fairings, third, and fourth stages have a diameter of 1.6 meters.
So far the Long March 11 has flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, and various sea launch platforms.
Long March 12
The Long March 12 is another new launch vehicle from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Both stages of the launch vehicle burn rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 12,000 kilograms to a low Earth orbit
- 6,000 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
Powering the first-stage are four YF-100K engines generating a combined thrust of 510 tons while burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene. The second-stage is powered by two YF-115 engines generating 36 tons of thrust, also burning liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene.
On the launchpad, the rocket stands a believed 59 meters in height, while having a first and second stage diameter of 3.8 meters. Fully fuelled the Long March 12 is believed to weigh 433,000 kilograms. The fairing of the Long March 12 is also believed to have options for either a 3.8, 4.2, or 5.2-meter diameter, depending on the needs of the mission.
Currently, the Long March 12 is only flown from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, on the east coast of Hainan province.
Legacy operational Long March rockets
This section includes Long March launch vehicles based on older designs that use hypergolic propellants, as well as being designed before the year 2000.
Long March 2C
The Long March 2C is one of the oldest launch vehicles from China performing missions regularly to low earth and sun-synchronous orbits by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The two stages of the launch vehicle both burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 3,850 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 1,900 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
- 1,250 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22E engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launch pad, the Long March 2C is 42 meters tall and weighs 233,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the fairing having a diameter of either 3.35 or 4.2 meters.
So far the Long March 2C has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Long March 2D
The Long March 2D is also one of the oldest launch vehicles from China performing missions regularly to low earth and sun-synchronous orbits by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, as a two-stage version of the Long March 4 vehicles. The two stages of the launch vehicle both burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 3,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 1,300 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launch pad, the Long March 2D is 41.05 meters tall and weighs 232,250 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the fairing having a diameter of either 3.35 or approximately 4 meters.
So far the Long March 2D has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Long March 2F
The Long March 2F is the only human-rated launch vehicle currently active in China, with it developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Two versions of the launch vehicle are currently active, the 2F/G and 2F/T. The Long March 2F/G launches the Shenzhou spacecraft, while the 2F/T launches China's reusable spaceplane and did launch the first two Tiangong space stations. All versions of the Long March 2F have had the boosters, first, and second-stage burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 8,400 kilograms to low Earth orbit
Powering the first-stage are four YF-20B generating a combined 332 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. Augmenting the thrust of the first-stage are four boosters, each powered by one YF-20B each generating 83 tons of thrust each for a combined booster thrust of 332, while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The combined thrust of the first-stage and four boosters is 664 tons of thrust. The second-stage of the vehicle is powered by one YF-24B generating 85 tons of thrust, once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launchpad, the Long March 2F is 62 meters tall, with the Shenzhou spacecraft's launch escape system, and weighs 464,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters, with the four boosters having a diameter of 2.3 meters, and the Shenzhou spacecraft's protective fairing has a maximum diameter of 3.6 meters.
So far the Long March 2F has only flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, in the west of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the north of Gansu province.
Long March 3B
The Long March 3B is the older generation geostationary orbit workhorse of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The first two stages and four boosters of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage.
Over the rocket's almost twenty-eight-year launch history, two versions of the vehicle have flown, the 3B and 3B/E. Since 2012 only the 3B/E variant has flown due to its increased payload capacity. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 11,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 7,100 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
- 5,500 kilograms into a geostationary transfer orbit
- 2,000 kilograms into geostationary orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines that burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 302 tons of thurst, while the boosters are powered by one YF-25 engine burning the same fuel to generate 72 tons of thrust each. Combined the four boosters and first stage generate a thrust of 590 tons. The second stage is powered by one YF-22E and four YF-23F vernier engines that also burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 81 tons of thrust. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 17 tons of thrust.
On the launch pad, the Long March 3B/E is 56.3 meters tall and weighs 458,970 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, along with the four boosters diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far every Long March 3B launch has occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the south of Sichuan province.
Long March 3C
The Long March 3C is the less capable derivative of the Long March 3B designed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to be a cheaper offering for customers who don't have a satellite heavy enough for a more capable vehicle. The first two stages and two boosters of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the third-stage.
Over the rocket's almost sixteen-year launch history, two versions of the vehicle have flown, the 3C and 3C/E. Since 2016 only the 3C/E variant has flown due to its increased payload capacity. The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 3,900 kilograms into a geostationary transfer orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines that burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 302 tons of thurst, while the boosters are powered by one YF-25 engine burning the same fuel to generate 72 tons of thrust each. Combined the two boosters and first stage generate a thrust of 446 tons. The second stage is powered by one YF-22E and four YF-23F vernier engines that also burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine to generate 81 tons of thrust. The third-stage is powered by two YF-75 engines that burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to generate 17 tons of thrust.
On the launch pad, the Long March 3B/E is 55.6 meters tall and weighs 345,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 3 meters, along with the two boosters diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far every Long March 3C launch has occurred from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the south of Sichuan province.
Long March 4B
The Long March 4B is an older generation low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit workhorse of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. All three stages of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with no engine restart capability.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 4,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 2,800 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
- 1,500 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The third-stage is propelled by two YF-40 engines that provide 10 tons of thrust by once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launch pad, the Long March 4B is 44.1 meters tall and weighs 249,200 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and a fairing diameter of either 3.8 or 4.2 meters.
So far the Long March 4B has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Long March 4C
The Long March 4C is another older generation low Earth and sun-synchronous orbit workhorse of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. All three stages of the rocket burn Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine, with the third-stage capable of engine restart.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
- 4,200 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 2,800 kilograms to a sun-synchronous orbit
- 1,500 kilograms to a geostationary transfer orbit
The first-stage is powered by four YF-21C engines, which generate 302 tons of thrust burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The second-stage is powered by a single YF-22C engine and four YF-23C verniers that generate 80 tons of thrust while also burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine. The third-stage is propelled by two YF-40A engines that provide 10 tons of thrust by once again burning Dinitrogen Tetroxide and Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine.
On the launch pad, the Long March 4C is 45.9 meters tall and weighs 249,200 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second-stage have a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage has a diameter of 2.9 meters, and a fairing diameter of 3.8 meters.
So far the Long March 4C has flown from all three inland launch sites, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
In-development Long March rockets
This section includes in-development Long March launch vehicles that are expected to debut in the coming decade.
Long March 10
The Long March 10 is the most important in-development launch vehicle from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Three stages and two boosters will be used on the rocket burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen in the first two stages and boosters, with the third-stage burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Currently, the Long March 10 is expected to be able to lift the following:
- 70,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 27,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory
The first-stage will utilize seven YF-100K engines to generate 892 tons of thrust by burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, while the boosters will also use seven YF-100K engines for a total combined thrust of 2,676 tons. The second-stage will feature two YF-100M engines capable of producing 298 tons of thrust while consuming rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen. The third-stage will use three YF-75E engines capable of producing 28 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The third-stage is intended to be used for missions to the Moon.
At the time of writing, the Long March 10 is expected to make its maiden launch in 2027. The Long March 10's boosters may be recovered and reused, as its first-stage and booster engines are restartable. Landing legs will not be used for recovery, instead they will be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster, likely to be downrange on a ship.
On the launch pad, the Long March 10 is expected to weigh up to 2,189,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be up to 93.2 meters tall when on the launch pad. All three stages, the boosters, and fairing are currently expected to have a diameter of 5 meters.
Long March 10A
The Long March 10A is a single-core version of the in-development Long March 10 and is believed to be solely for low Earth orbit missions. Two stages will be used on the rocket burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
Currently, the Long March 10A is believed to be able to lift the following:
- 18,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit when expended
- 14,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit with booster recovery
The first-stage will use seven YF-100K engines to produce 892 tons of thrust by burning rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen. The second-stage will have two YF-100M engines which will produce 149 tons of thrust while burning rocket-grade fuel and liquid oxygen.
At the time of writing, the Long March 10A is expected to make its maiden launch around 2025. The Long March 10A is expected to have its first-stage boosters reused and reflown, three of the YF-100K's will be used to land the booster with grid fins guiding the booster during unpowered flight. Landing legs will not be used for recovery, instead the booster will be caught on 'tensioned wires' with 'hooks' on the booster, likely to be downrange on a ship.
On the launch pad, the Long March 10A is expected to weigh 740,000 kilograms while fully fuelled and be approximately 67 meters tall. The two stages are expected to have a diameter of 5 meters with a possible fairing diameter of up to 6.2 meters.
Long March 9
The Long March 9 is the largest in-development launch vehicle from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Up to three stages will be used on the rocket with it burning liquid methane and liquid oxygen on the first and second stages, with the third-stage burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Currently, the Long March 9 is expected to be able to lift the following:
- 150,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 54,000 kilograms to a trans-lunar trajectory
- 44,000 kilograms to a trans-martian trajectory
The first-stage will consist of thirty unidentified engines to generate a total of 6000 tons of thrust by burning liquid methane and oxygen. The second-stage will also use two unidentified engines, most likely an air-startable variant of the first-stage engines, to generate a planned 400 tons of thrust while consuming liquid methane and oxygen. The third-stage will feature four YF-79 engines that will provide 102 tons of thrust by burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. This third stage will be utilized primarily for flights beyond low Earth orbit.
At the time of writing, the Long March 9 is expected to make its maiden launch around 2033. Plans for reusing the first-stage are currently unknown outside of China, but it may be in a similar fashion to the Long March 10A's boosters.
On the launch pad, the Long March 9 is expected to weigh 4,369,000 kilograms when fully fuelled and be roughly 114 meters tall. All three stages and the fairing are believed to have a diameter of 10.6 meters.
Retired Long March rockets
This section includes Long March launch vehicles that have not flown in several years, or have officially been retired.
Long March 1
The Long March 1 was China's first orbital launch vehicle, and was derived from the early Dong Feng 4 ballistic missiles. Three stages allowed the vehicle to enter orbit, the first two stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid while the third-stage burned a Polysulfide and Ammonium perchlorate solid propellant.
When operational, the Long March 1 was able to lift the following:
- 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit
The Long March 1's first-stage was powered by four YF-1A engines generating 112 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid. The second-stage was powered by a single YF-3A engine which generated 33 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Nitric Acid. The third-stage was a solid rocket motor that generated 18 tons of thrust by burning a Polysulfide and Ammonium perchlorate propellant.
On the launch pad, the Long March 1 was 29.86 meters tall and weighed 81,570 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 2.05 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 2 meters.
The Long March 1 flew both of its missions from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in 1970 and 1971.
Long March 1D
The Long March 1D is the only Long March vehicle not to have flown an orbital mission, with the vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Three stages propelled the vehicles suborbital payloads, the first two stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned a Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Ammonium perchlorate solid propellant mixture.
Despite never flying to orbit, the Long March 1D was able to lift the following:
- 930 kilograms to low Earth orbit
The Long March 1D's first-stage was powered by four YF-1B engines generating 112 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by two YF-40 engines t generate 10 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was an FG-36 solid rocket motor burning a solid propellant mixture of Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and Ammonium perchlorate.
On the launch pad, the Long March 1D was 28.22 meters tall and weighed 81,650 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 2.25 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 0.77 meters,
The Long March 1D flew all three of its missions from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center between 1995 and 2002, two were successful
Long March 2A
The Long March 2A is the grandfather of the legacy operational Long March rockets and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Two stages powered the vehicle into orbit, both burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide.
When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following:
- 2,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
The Long March 2A's first-stage was powered by four YF-20A engines generating 280 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22 engine and four YF-23 vernier engines to generate 78 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide.
On the launch pad, the Long March 2A was 32 meters tall and weighed 190,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, fairing diameters varied between missions.
The Long March 2A flew all four of its missions from the Jiuqan Satellite Launch Center between 1974 and 1978, three were successful.
The Long March 2A's first flight was as the Long March 2, the 2A nomenclature remained on subsequent flights due to modifications to the design.
Long March 2E
The Long March 2E was the first Long March vehicle to have side boosters augmenting the first-stage thrust, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. Two stages and four boosters allowed the vehicle to deliver payloads as far away as geostationary orbit.
When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following:
- 9,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 3,500 kilogram to geostationary transfer orbit
The Long March 2E's first-stage was powered by four YF-20B engines generating 302 tons of thrust, while augmented by four boosters each with a YF-20B to generate 75 tons of thrust, while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. Combined the first-stage and boosters generate 604 tons of thrust. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22B engine and four YF-23B vernier engines to generate 80 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide.
On the launch pad, the Long March 2E was 49.7 meters tall and weighed 460,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the four boosters had a diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 4.2 meters.
The Long March 2E flew all seven of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1990 and 1995, with one total failure.
Long March 3
The Long March 3 was the first Long March vehicle to have a liquid hydrogen stage, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. The first two stages of the vehicle burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to send payloads out to geostationary orbit.
When operational, the Long March 3 was able to lift the following:
- 5,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 1,500 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
The Long March 3's first-stage was powered by four YF-21B engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22D engine and four YF-23F vernier engines to generate 76 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was powered by a single YF-73 engine generating 4.5 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
On the launch pad, the Long March 3 was 43.25 meters tall and weighed 204,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 2.25 meters, and the fairing had a diameter of 3 meters.
The Long March 3 flew all thirteen of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1984 and 2000, with two total failures.
Long March 3A
The Long March 3A was the workhorse of the early Beidou Navigation Satellite System, and was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. The first two stages of the vehicle burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide while the third-stage burned liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to send payloads out as far as the Moon.
When operational, the Long March 3A was able to lift the following:
- 8,500 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 2,600 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
- 1,600 kilograms to a heliocentric orbit
The Long March 3A's first-stage was powered by four YF-21C engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-22E engine and four YF-23C vernier engines to generate 80 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage was powered by two YF-75 engines generating 17 tons of thrust while burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
On the launch pad, the Long March 3A was 52.52 meters tall and weighed 241,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages along with the fairing had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage had a diameter of 3 meters.
The Long March 3A flew all twenty-seven of its missions from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center between 1994 and 2018.
Long March 4A
The Long March 4A was one of the first liquid propellant three-stage vehicles in China, with the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology developing the vehicle. All three stages burned Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide to deliver payloads to a variety of orbits.
When operational, the Long March 2A was able to lift the following:
- 4,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
- 1,500 kilograms to sun-synchronous orbit
- 1,100 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit
The Long March 4A's first-stage was powered by four YF-20B engines generating 302 tons of thrust while burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The second-stage was powered by a YF-25 engine and four YF-23 vernier engines to generate 85 tons of thrust, also burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide. The third-stage, once again burning Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and Dinitrogen tetroxide, was powered by two YF-40 engines to generate 10 tons of thrust.
On the launch pad, the Long March 4A was 41.9 meters tall and weighed 249,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages had a diameter of 3.35 meters, while the third-stage and fairing had a diameter of 2.9 meters.
The Long March 4A flew its two missions from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center between 1988 and 1990.
Notes from the author
I am aware that the Long March 12 and Long March 8A are yet to fly at the time of writing, October 2024. Both of these vehicles are planned to fly for the first time by the end of 2024. As a result, I've categorized them as operational because I don't anticipate any further Long March vehicles being revealed in the next few years, meaning this article won't be updated and re-released for a while.
If you know of any information that should be added feel free to reach out to me via the links on my author page or Linktree.
