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Launch Vehicles
Vehicle family profile

Long March 6

长征六号

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
41
Missions in the public mission table with actual launch dates.
Peak listed capacity
8,000 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
201910
202010
202140
202240
202330
202480
2025110
2026710
2027012
2028014
2029016
2030016
2031016
2032016
2033016
2034016
2035016

Performance Specs

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

VariantOrbitCapacityAltitudeInclinationSource
Long March 6A
LEO8,000 kgUnknownUnknownLong March 6A public performance profile
Long March 6A
SSO6,500 kg500 kmUnknownLong March 6A public performance profile

Recent Missions

Latest launched missions using variants in this family.

MissionVariantLaunch
Qianfan Xingzuo 13
Long March 6A
Jul 4, 2026
Qianfan Xingzuo 11
Long March 6A
Jun 4, 2026
Qianfan Xingzuo 08
Long March 6A
May 12, 2026
PRSC-EO3 Mission

Variants

Canonical variants rolled up into this launch vehicle family.

VariantStagesMissionsStatus
Long March 6
Not stated15Active
Long March 6A
Not stated25Active
Long March 6C
Not stated1Active
2036016
2037016
2038016
2039016
2040016
2041016

Forecast Location Split

1 launch location represented.

YearLocationLaunchesConfidenceBasis
2026Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1022%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2027Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1222%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2028Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1422%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2029Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2030Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2031Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2032Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2033Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2034Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2035Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2036Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2037Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2038Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2039Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2040Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
2041Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center1622%China launch cadence curve: active Long March/Gravity families scale from current low-confidence static defaults toward an analytically modeled high-volume con...
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2026 · 22% confidence
10

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

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2028 · 22% confidence
14

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

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2029 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2030 · 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...

Long March 6C
LEO4,500 kgUnknownUnknownEd Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary
Long March 6A
SSO4,500 kg700 kmUnknownCASC / SpaceChina Long March 6A page
Long March 6C
SSO2,400 kg500 kmUnknownCASC / SpaceChina Long March 6C page
Long March 6C
SSO2,000 kg700 kmUnknownCASC / SpaceChina Long March 6C page
Long March 6
LEO1,500 kgUnknownUnknownEd Kyle Space Launch Report CZ-5/6/7/8 summary
Long March 6
SSO1,000 kg700 kmUnknownCASC Long March 6 report
Long March 6
Apr 25, 2026
WHDW 21
Long March 6A
Apr 8, 2026
Yaogan 50-02
Long March 6A
Mar 15, 2026
Yaogan 50-01
Long March 6A
Jan 13, 2026
WHDW 15
Long March 6A
Dec 8, 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
Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2031 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2032 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2033 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2034 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2035 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2036 · 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...

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
2037 · 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...

Mentions
302
All verified mentions of this launch vehicle family in source documents.
0.0-5.0
Actions

The Long March 6A flew 10 times in 2025, the Long March 2D flew 7 times, and the Long March 7A, Long March 8A, and Galactic Energy’s Ceres-1 each flew 6 times.

GeneralPlanGrowthValue 4.0Jan 1, 2026China Continues Space Progress Through 2025
Page7of16

There are two different satellite variants in use for the GuoWang constellation, with larger variants on Long March 5B and smaller ones on Long March 12 and Long March 6A.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Dec 26, 2025Long March 8A Completes Debut Year With GuoWang Mission [Long March 8A Y6]

The Long March 6A is a medium-lift vehicle developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST).

CapabilityValue 3.5Dec 16, 2025Triple Long March launches mark record day for Chinese space program

The Long March 6A can place satellites into a range of orbits, including sun-synchronous, low Earth, and intermediate circular trajectories.

CapabilityValue 4.0Dec 16, 2025Triple Long March launches mark record day for Chinese space program

The Long March 6A uses a 50-meter liquid-fueled core stage with four solid-propellant strap-on boosters, giving a liftoff mass of about 530 metric tons.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.7Dec 16, 2025Triple Long March launches mark record day for Chinese space program

On October 17th a Long March 6A launched Polar Group 18 carrying 18 Qianfan satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit.

PlanValue 5.0Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Qianfan Polar Group 02 launched 18 satellites on October 15th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A and deployed them from the second stage.

PlanGeneralValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

On January 23rd a Long March 6A launched Polar Group 06 carrying 18 Qianfan satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.6Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Tianqi-9 was launched on April 27th on a Long March 6 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center as part of a multi-customer rideshare.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Two different satellite variants are used in the GuoWang constellation: a larger version for rockets like Long March 5B and smaller units for Long March 8A and Long March 6A.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.6Dec 12, 2025Sunrise Launch Delivers More GuoWang Satellites [Long March 12 Y4]

On December 5th a Long March 6A launched Polar Group 03 carrying 18 Qianfan satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit.

PlanValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Qianfan Polar Group 06 launched 18 satellites on January 23rd from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A and deployed them from the second stage.

PlanCapabilityGeneralValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Qianfan Polar Group 01 launched 18 satellites on August 6th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A and deployed them from the second stage into an approximately 800-kilometer orbit.

PlanCapabilityValue 5.0Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Qianfan Polar Group 03 launched 18 satellites on December 5th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A and deployed them from the second stage.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Future Mobility Group 03 (10 satellites) launched on September 6th aboard a Long March 6 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center with deployment from the Long March 6 Y11 third-stage.

PlanCapabilityValue 3.0Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

On August 6th a Long March 6A launched Polar Group 01 carrying 18 Qianfan satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit.

PlanCapabilityGeneralValue 4.8Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Qianfan Polar Group 18 launched 18 satellites on October 17th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A.

GeneralPlanValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

On October 15th a Long March 6A launched Polar Group 02 carrying 18 Qianfan satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center into polar orbit.

PlanValue 4.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

GuoWang Group 04 launched five satellites on June 6th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 6A, marking the first GuoWang launch from Taiyuan.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article

Two different satellite variants are believed to be used for GuoWang, with larger versions launched by vehicles like Long March 5B and smaller versions launched by rockets such as Long March 6A, Long March 8A, or Long March 12.

PlanGeneralValue 2.5Dec 12, 2025China's mega-constellations mega-article