长征八号
Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.
Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.
| Year | Historical missions | Forecast launches |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 |
| 2026 | 6 | 8 |
| 2027 | 0 | 12 |
| 2028 | 0 | 16 |
| 2029 | 0 | 20 |
| 2030 | 0 | 24 |
| 2031 | 0 | 24 |
| 2032 | 0 | 24 |
| 2033 | 0 | 24 |
| 2034 | 0 | 24 |
| 2035 | 0 | 24 |
| 2036 | 0 | 24 |
| 2037 | 0 | 24 |
| 2038 | 0 | 24 |
Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.
| Variant | Orbit | Capacity | Altitude | Inclination | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Long March 8A | LEO | 9,800 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Space Launch Now Long March 8A vehicle page |
Long March 8 | LEO | 7,600 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Ed Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary |
Latest launched missions using variants in this family.
| Mission | Variant | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| Qianfan Xingzuo 15 | Long March 8A | Jul 5, 2026 |
| Qianfan Xingzuo 12 | Long March 8 | Jun 5, 2026 |
| Qianfan Xingzuo 09 | Long March 8 | May 17, 2026 |
| Qianfan Xingzuo 07 |
Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.
| Variant | Stages | Missions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Long March 8 | Not stated | 6 | Active |
Long March 8 0 | Not stated | 1 | Active |
Long March 8A | Not stated | 9 | Active |
| 2039 | 0 | 24 |
| 2040 | 0 | 24 |
| 2041 | 0 | 24 |
1 launch location represented.
| Year | Location | Launches | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 8 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2027 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 12 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2028 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 16 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2029 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 20 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2030 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2031 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2032 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2033 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2034 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2035 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2036 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2037 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2038 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2039 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2040 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
| 2041 | Wenchang Space Launch Site | 24 | 22% | China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con... |
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
Long March 8 0 | LEO | 7,600 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Ed Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row |
Long March 8A | SSO | 7,000 kg | 700 km | Unknown | CASC Long March 8A rollout report |
Long March 8 | SSO | 4,500 kg | 700 km | Unknown | CNSA Long March 8 page |
Long March 8 0 | SSO | 4,500 kg | 700 km | Unknown | CNSA Long March 8 page copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row |
Long March 8A | GTO | 3,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Space Launch Now Long March 8A vehicle page |
Long March 8 0 | GTO | 2,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Ed Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row |
Long March 8 | GTO | 2,500 kg | Unknown | Unknown | Ed Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary |
Long March 8 |
| Apr 7, 2026 |
| WHDW 20 | Long March 8A | Mar 12, 2026 |
| WHDW 18 | Long March 8A | Jan 13, 2026 |
| WHDW 17 | Long March 8A | Dec 25, 2025 |
| WHDW 14 | Long March 8A | Dec 6, 2025 |
Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.
| Mission | Variant | Announced |
|---|---|---|
No forecasted missionsNo upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family. | ||
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...
A Long March 8A launch vehicle was prepared for flight just after the National Day holiday after being rolled out in late September.
Nets were set up around the Long March 8A rocket’s two stages in the processing facility to prevent damage from falling debris.
The payload fairing for the Long March 8A was stored in a spacecraft processing room.
Hardware for upcoming Long March 8A missions and a Long March 12 were properly protected to avoid launch delays.
Two satellite variants are believed to be in use for the GuoWang constellation, one larger variant for rockets like the Long March 5B and smaller ones for the Long March 8A or Long March 12.
On August 26, 2025, 10 satellites for satellite internet were successfully launched into low Earth orbit by the Long March 8A Y2 rocket from Hainan.
The Long March-5B rocket has a LEO capacity of about 25,000 kilograms, while the Long March-8A has a capacity of 7,000 kilograms.
Long March 8A is a variant of the Long March 8 with a larger, more powerful second stage that increases payload capacity to 7,000 kg to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
CASC has set up new facilities to boost production of YF-100 engines that power the first stage of Long March 8 and other kerosene Long March rockets.
A Long March 8 rocket is expected to launch the next batch of Thousand Sails satellites from the new Hainan commercial spaceport.
A fourth set of Qianfan satellites is scheduled to launch on a Long March 8 from the Hainan commercial space launch center around 2100 Eastern on 2024-12-22 (0200 UTC Dec. 23).
A fourth Qianfan/Thousand Sails launch could take place on a Long March 8 rocket from the Hainan commercial space launch center as soon as 2024-12-22 Eastern.
A Long March 8 rocket could launch from the new Hainan commercial space launch center.
A modified Long March 8 rocket is expected to have its first flight later in 2024 from a new commercial spaceport near Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.
The new commercial launch pads near Wenchang Satellite Launch Center and the modified Long March 8 are part of Chinese efforts to increase national launch rate.
The first Hainan Commercial Launch Site pad was completed in 2023-12-01 and is dedicated to the Long March 8 rocket.
China launched the Queqiao-2 lunar communications relay satellite on March 19, 2024 on a Long March 8 rocket.
Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2 were launched aboard the same Long March 8 mission as Queqiao-2.
China is expanding the Wenchang launch facilities to allow launches of the Long March 8 and commercial launchers.
Two experimental satellites, Tiandu-1 and Tiandu-2, launched aboard the same Long March 8 mission and executed synchronized burns at 1:43 p.m. to enter lunar orbit.