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Launch Vehicles
Vehicle family profile

Long March 8

长征八号

Family-level launch record combining canonical variants, historical missions, public cadence forecasts, and available payload performance specs.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. (CASC)Active
Admin
Variants
3
Canonical variants linked to this family.
Historical missions
16
Missions in the public mission table with actual launch dates.
Peak listed capacity
9,800 kg
Maximum payload capacity across listed variants and orbits.

Launch Cadence

Historical missions are grouped by actual launch year. Forecast cadence uses family-level launch-rate rows.

YearHistorical missionsForecast launches
202010
202210
202410
202570
202668
2027012
2028016
2029020
2030024
2031024
2032024
2033024
2034024
2035024
2036024
2037024
2038024

Performance Specs

Payload capacity by variant and target orbit when structured capacity rows are available.

VariantOrbitCapacityAltitudeInclinationSource
Long March 8A
LEO9,800 kgUnknownUnknownSpace Launch Now Long March 8A vehicle page
Long March 8
LEO7,600 kgUnknownUnknownEd Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary

Recent Missions

Latest launched missions using variants in this family.

MissionVariantLaunch
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

Variants

Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.

VariantStagesMissionsStatus
Long March 8
Not stated6Active
Long March 8 0
Not stated1Active
Long March 8A
Not stated9Active
2039024
2040024
2041024

Forecast Location Split

1 launch location represented.

YearLocationLaunchesConfidenceBasis
2026Wenchang Space Launch Site822%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2027Wenchang Space Launch Site1222%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2028Wenchang Space Launch Site1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2029Wenchang Space Launch Site2022%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2030Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2031Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2032Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2033Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2034Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2035Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2036Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2037Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2038Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2039Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2040Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2041Wenchang Space Launch Site2422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
Wenchang Space Launch Site
2026 · 22% confidence
8

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2027 · 22% confidence
12

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2028 · 22% confidence
16

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2029 · 22% confidence
20

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2030 · 22% confidence
24

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
LEO7,600 kgUnknownUnknownEd Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row
Long March 8A
SSO7,000 kg700 kmUnknownCASC Long March 8A rollout report
Long March 8
SSO4,500 kg700 kmUnknownCNSA Long March 8 page
Long March 8 0
SSO4,500 kg700 kmUnknownCNSA Long March 8 page copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row
Long March 8A
GTO3,500 kgUnknownUnknownSpace Launch Now Long March 8A vehicle page
Long March 8 0
GTO2,500 kgUnknownUnknownEd Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary copied from sibling Chang Zheng 8 row
Long March 8
GTO2,500 kgUnknownUnknownEd 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

Forecasted Missions

Upcoming mission rows with announced launch timing.

MissionVariantAnnounced

No forecasted missions

No upcoming announced mission rows are linked to this vehicle family.

Track
Wenchang Space Launch Site
2031 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2032 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2033 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2034 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2035 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2036 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Wenchang Space Launch Site
2037 · 22% confidence
24

China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume constellation deploymen...

Mentions
360
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology is developing the Long March 8 for reusability and plans for its super heavy-lift crew rocket and the Long March 9 to eventually be made reusable.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Aug 29, 2022China plans to make aging Long March rocket reusable and non-toxic
Page16of18

China developed YF-100 kerolox engines for the Long March 5 through Long March 8 series within the last 10 years.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Aug 29, 2022China plans to make aging Long March rocket reusable and non-toxic

CALT plans for its first reusable rocket, thought to be the Long March 8, to complete relevant flight tests within China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025).

PlanGrowthValue 3.5Aug 22, 2022China claims progress on rockets for crewed lunar landings and moon base

CASC figures show the Long March 8 (360,000 kg) can loft 5,000 kg to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit and its single-core variant (200,000 kg) can loft 3,000 kg to the same orbit.

CapabilityValue 4.6Mar 29, 2022China launches first Long March rocket with solid boosters

China’s second Long March 8 rocket launched on 2022-02-26, lifting off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center at 10:06 p.m. Eastern.

PlanValue 4.0Feb 27, 2022China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare

The second Long March 8 flew without the pair of side boosters used on the rocket’s first mission in 2020-12-01.

CapabilityValue 4.0Feb 27, 2022China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare

The Chaohu-1 SAR satellite has a mass of 325 kg and builds on the Hisea-1 SAR satellite launched on the previous Long March 8 flight.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Feb 27, 2022China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare

Changguang Satellite Technology launched 10 new Jilin-1 satellites on the Long March 8 mission.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.2Feb 27, 2022China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare

The Long March 8 uses a 3.35-meter-diameter new-generation Long March 7 kerosene-liquid oxygen first stage combined with a 3-meter-diameter hydrolox second stage derived from the Long March 3A series.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Feb 27, 2022China launches national record 22 satellites on Long March 8 commercial rideshare

ADA Space signed a deal in September with China Great Wall Industry Corp. to launch its self-developed fourth-generation AI satellite on the second Long March 8 rocket.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.4Nov 29, 2021ADA Space raises $55.6 million in Series B round

China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) has a contract to launch the first batch of Tianxian satellites on the second Long March 8 rocket in 2022-02-01.

RelationshipsPlanValue 4.5Oct 8, 2021Chinese partnership to create Tianxian SAR satellite constellation

Hisea-1 is a miniaturized, 185-kilogram satellite that launched in 2020-12-01 from Wenchang on the first Long March 8 rocket.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.4Oct 8, 2021Chinese partnership to create Tianxian SAR satellite constellation

China is developing the Long March 8 into a launcher with a recoverable and reusable first stage.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Mar 9, 2021China rolls out out new Long March 7A for second launch attempt

A larger NPT30 propulsion system is installed on Hisea-1, Spacety’s miniature C-band SAR satellite launched on the Long March 8 test flight in 2020-12-01.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.3Jan 22, 2021French startup demonstrates iodine propulsion in potential boost for space debris mitigation efforts

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is planning to convert the Long March 8 for vertical takeoff and vertical landing reusability by 2025.

PlanCapabilityGrowthValue 4.0Jan 19, 2021China’s iSpace advances with IPO plans, reusable launcher landing leg tests

The primary payload on the Long March 8 that carried Hisea-1 to orbit was XJY-7, a classified remote sensing technology test satellite developed by the China Academy of Space Technology.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.5Jan 4, 2021Spacety shares first images from small C-band SAR satellite

China launched the Long March 8 medium-lift launcher in 2020.

PlanValue 4.0Jan 4, 2021China’s CASC targets more than 40 space launches in 2021

The Long March 8 that carried Hisea-1 also launched a nanosatellite developed by Ethiopia and Beijing Zhixing Space Technology Co. Ltd.

GeneralValue 4.0Jan 4, 2021Spacety shares first images from small C-band SAR satellite

The Long March 8 that launched Hisea-1 also deployed a space science satellite developed jointly by Hebei University of Technology and Spacety.

GeneralRelationshipsPlanValue 3.8Jan 4, 2021Spacety shares first images from small C-band SAR satellite

Hisea-1 was launched on 2020-12-22 on China’s Long March 8 medium-lift rocket.

PlanValue 4.2Jan 4, 2021Spacety shares first images from small C-band SAR satellite