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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
359
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

Long March 8A launched the SatNet LEO Group 18 payload from Hainan at 15:25 UTC on January 13, 2026.

GeneralPlanValue 4.8Mar 13, 2026🚀 Liftoff at 19:48UTC on March 12, Long March 8A Y8 launched SatNet LEO Group 20 from Hainan.

Long March 8A Y8 launched the SatNet LEO Group 20 payload from Hainan at 19:48 UTC on March 12, 2026.

Page6of18
GeneralPlanValue 4.5Mar 13, 2026🚀 Liftoff at 19:48UTC on March 12, Long March 8A Y8 launched SatNet LEO Group 20 from Hainan.

A Long March 8A rocket was at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China.

GeneralValue 3.0Mar 13, 2026Turns out SpaceLens did send their photographers to Wenchang last night and got some spectacular photos as well:

The Long March 2D launch took place less than three hours after a Long March 8A launch on the same day.

PlanGeneralValue 2.2Mar 13, 2026Two Experimental Earth Observation Satellites Delivered From Xichang [Long March 2D Y95]

The March 12, 2026 Long March 8A launch from Wenchang is intended to deploy additional satellites for a Chinese low Earth orbit constellation.

PlanGrowthGeneralValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026Some miles down the road from where Artemis astronauts will head for the Moon, we are hearing about 1st astronauts heading close to there in 50+ years. Meanwhile some miles down the road from where Chinese astronauts will do the same, this rocket is launching within 30 minutes:

The Long March 8A first stage and boosters are powered by YF-100 engines with two YF-100 engines on the core and one on each of the two boosters, producing a combined thrust of 490 tons at liftoff.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

A Long March 8A rocket lifted off at 19:48 UTC on March 12, 2026 from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site.

GeneralPlanValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026After a month-long hiatus, China resumes orbital launches, with a Long March 8A lifting off at 1948 UTC today from Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, successfully carrying the 20th group of Guowang satellites into orbit (China's 11th orbital of 2026).

The on-screen launch vehicle is identified as the Long March 8A (Chang Zheng-8A) launch rocket.

GeneralPlanCapabilityGrowthValue 2.0Mar 12, 2026And this smallest Atlas V/Vulcan variant class rocket is certainly chilly already:

On the launchpad the core-alone Long March 8A stands 50.5 meters tall and weighs 371,000 kilograms when fully fueled.

CapabilityValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

The Long March 8A carried the 20th group of Guowang satellites into orbit.

GeneralValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026After a month-long hiatus, China resumes orbital launches, with a Long March 8A lifting off at 1948 UTC today from Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, successfully carrying the 20th group of Guowang satellites into orbit (China's 11th orbital of 2026).

The scheduled Long March 8A launch from Wenchang is planned to fly out over the sea.

PlanGeneralValue 3.0Mar 12, 2026OK make it 4… Firstly in less than 4 hours (March 12 ~19:45 UTC, middle of night in China) some Chinese LEO constellation is getting more pieces together w/ a Long March 8A launching out towards sea from Wenchang, probably another SatNet satellites batch but who knows?

The vehicle depicted in the footage is a Long March-8A rocket.

GeneralValue 2.0Mar 12, 2026This is a very rare case, but somehow official Chinese media tweeted out on this very LM-8A (sans payload) rolling out to the pad on March 7, confirming at least what the launcher is:

The March 13, 2026 mission was the 8th launch of a Long March 8A vehicle, the 12th launch of the Long March 8 series, and the 631st launch of the Long March launch vehicle series.

GeneralPlanValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

The Long March 8A conducted its eighth flight downrange over the South China Sea.

GeneralValue 3.0Mar 12, 2026The 8th Long March 8A going downrange over the South China Sea:

The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology plans to optimize rotating shifts and deepen professional literacy to cultivate Long March 8A launch team talent.

GrowthPlanValue 2.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

The Chinese live-broadcast caption on the image states that the Long March 8A launch vehicle is ready for launch.

PlanGeneralValue 2.0Mar 12, 2026And this smallest Atlas V/Vulcan variant class rocket is certainly chilly already:

The Long March 8A is an improved, more cost-efficient upgrade of the Long March 8 developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

The March 12 Long March 8A launch is expected to deploy additional satellites to a Chinese low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026OK make it 4… Firstly in less than 4 hours (March 12 ~19:45 UTC, middle of night in China) some Chinese LEO constellation is getting more pieces together w/ a Long March 8A launching out towards sea from Wenchang, probably another SatNet satellites batch but who knows?

The Long March 8A performed its debut flight from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in February 2025.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]

The Long March 8A second stage is equipped with two YF-75DA engines that produce 20 tons of thrust.

CapabilityValue 4.0Mar 12, 2026GuoWang Mission Ends China's Month-Long Launch Hiatus [Long March 8A Y8]