The four boosters of the Long March 2F are each powered by one YF-20B engine producing 83 tons of thrust each for a combined booster thrust of 332 tons and burning dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

The Long March 2F is the only human-rated launch vehicle currently active in China.

The Shenzhou spacecraft protective fairing used with the Long March 2F has a maximum diameter of 3.6 meters.

The Long March 2F/G launches the Shenzhou spacecraft.

The combined thrust of the Long March 2F first stage and four boosters is 664 tons.

The fully fueled launch mass of the Long March 2F is 464,000 kilograms.

The Long March 2F payload capacity is 8,600 kilograms to low Earth orbit with a 4.2-meter-wide fairing.

The first stage of the Long March 2F is powered by four YF-20B engines producing a combined 332 tons of thrust and burning dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

The Reusable Experimental Spacecraft may release small independent satellites to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations and other technology tests.

All versions of the Long March 2F use dinitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine as propellants for the boosters, first stage, and second stage.

On the launchpad, the Long March 2F is 62 meters tall when configured with the Shenzhou spacecraft’s launch escape system.

The Long March 2F has only flown from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in the west of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the north of Gansu province.

China launched its reusable spaceplane for the fourth time.

The previous Chinese reusable spaceplane flight lasted 268 days.

A Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center carrying a classified Reusable Experimental Spacecraft into orbit.

China’s previous reusable spaceplane returned on September 6, 2024 after a 268-day orbital flight.

The NOTAM locations closely matched the launch trajectories or impact areas of three prior launches from Jiuquan conducted between 2020 and 2023.

Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) were issued indicating a launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center toward the southeast on February 7 at approximately 03:55 UTC.

For the previous three launches involving the reusable demonstration spacecraft, official statements likewise listed only the launch date, the launch site as JSLC, and the launch vehicle as the LM-2F.

An official statement confirmed a successful launch.

The official statement listed only the launch date and did not include a launch time.

The official statement identified the launch site as JSLC.

The official statement identified the launch vehicle as the Long March 2F (LM-2F).

The Chinese robotic recoverable spaceplane is commonly compared to the U.S. Boeing/USSF X-37B orbital vehicle.

A spacecraft is in a low Earth orbit with perigee 345 km, apogee 591 km, and inclination 49.99°.

The launch carried the fourth flight of the Chinese robotic recoverable spaceplane.

A Long March 2F (CZ-2F) rocket launched from Jiuquan at about 03:57 UTC on February 7, 2026.

Two-line element sets place the launch at approximately 03:58 UTC on February 7, 2026.

Two ejected CZ-2F upper stage separation motor covers were cataloged in the same 344 x 590 km, 50° inclination orbit.

The CZ-2F upper stage was cataloged in the same 344 x 590 km, 50° inclination orbit as the Chinese spaceplane.

A Chinese spaceplane was cataloged in a 344 x 590 km orbit with a 50° inclination.

A gas bubble in the transfer tube caused the deorbit burn failure on the Starlink Group 17-32 mission.

Falcon 9’s second stage experienced an off-nominal condition ahead of the deorbit burn on the Starlink Group 17-32 mission, resulting in a failure to ignite the engine.

SpaceX submitted a report to the FAA regarding the Starlink Group 17-32 mishap that included the likely cause and associated corrective actions.

SpaceX is cleared for liftoff by the FAA following the Starlink Group 17-32 mishap review.

A Falcon 9 rocket and a Dragon spacecraft were rolled out to SLC-40 in Florida for NASA’s Crew-12 mission.

Starting with Crew-12, all future Dragon missions will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40).

Launch Complex 39A will remain active to support Falcon Heavy launches and a limited number of Falcon 9 launches despite the Starship transition.

Crew-12 is a NASA mission to the International Space Station.

SpaceX is removing the Crew Access Arm from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) as part of transitioning the pad to support Starship operations.

The launch on February 7, 2026 used a Long March-2F carrier rocket.

The reusable experimental spacecraft will carry out planned technical verification of reusable spacecraft technologies.

On February 7, 2026 China launched a reusable experimental spacecraft from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

The reusable experimental spacecraft is intended to provide technical support for the peaceful use and utilization of outer space.

The February 7, 2026 launch successfully placed a reusable test spacecraft into flight.

International designators 2026-023B through 2026-023J correspond to NORAD catalog numbers 67675 through 67682.

Satellites 2026-023B through 2026-023J (NORAD 67675–67682) have orbital periods of about 94.59–94.60 minutes and inclinations of about 96.63–96.65 degrees.

A Soyuz-2.1b launch from Plesetsk cosmodrome deployed nine payloads.

International designator 2026-023A corresponds to NORAD catalog number 67674 and the satellite COSMOS 2600.

COSMOS 2600 (NORAD 67674, 2026-023A) has an orbital period of 91.08 minutes and an inclination of 96.65 degrees.