 Rendering of Long March 8 Y1 | |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Mass | |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload toSSO 700 km | |
| Mass | |
| Payload toLEO | |
| Mass | 8,100 kg (17,900 lb) |
| Payload toGTO | |
| Mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) |
| Payload toTLI | |
| Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Soyuz-2 Antares Falcon 9 (RTLS reusable) Atlas V 501 Ariane 62 H3-30 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang LC-2 Wenchang Commercial LC-1 |
| Total launches | 5 (8:4,8A:1) |
| Success(es) | 5 (8:4,8A:1) |
| First flight | 22 December 2020 |
| Last flight | 11 March 2025 |
| Boosters (Standard) – K2 booster | |
| No. boosters | 2 or 0 |
| Height | 26.903 m (88.26 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
| Powered by | 1YF-100 |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) Vacuum: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) |
| Total thrust | Sea level: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) Vacuum: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 /LOX |
| First stage – K3 core module | |
| Height | 25.083 m (82.29 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Powered by | 2YF-100 |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) Vacuum: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 /LOX |
| Second stage (CZ-8) | |
| Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
| Powered by | 2YF-75 |
| Maximum thrust | 167.17 kN (37,580 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 438 s (4.30 km/s) |
| Propellant | LH2 /LOX |
| Second stage (CZ-8A) | |
| Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Powered by | 2YF-75H |
| Maximum thrust | 200 kN (45,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 442.6 s (4.340 km/s) |
| Propellant | LH2 /LOX |
Long March 8 (Chinese:长征八号运载火箭) is an orbitallaunch vehicle developed by theChina Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitudeSun-synchronous orbit (SSO).[4] The rocket is based on theLong March 7 with its first stage and two boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of theLong March 3A/3B/3C and7A as its second stage. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.[1]
A planned future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will bepartially reusable by featuring acombined booster recovery of the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.[5]
The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from theWenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.[6]
An upgraded version of the Long March 8, theLong March 8A (Chinese:长征八号甲运载火箭), has successfully debuted on February 11, 2025[7] with increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitudesun-synchronous orbit. It implements a larger 3.35 meters diameter liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen second stage, coupled with 2 upgraded version of theYF-75D engines (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds. The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.
| S.no | Variant | Flight number | Date (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Standard | Y1 | 22 December 2020 04:37[6][8] | Wenchang, LC-2 | Xinjishu Yanzheng 7 (XJY-7) Haisi-1 Tianqi Xingzuo 08 (Ping'an-1) Yuanguang-1 ET-SMART-RSS (Zhixing-1A) | SSO | Success |
| 2 | Core only[9] | Y2 | 27 February 2022 03:06[9] | Wenchang, LC-2 | Dayun (Xingshidai-17) Hainan-1 01, 02 Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 10–18 Jilin-1 Mofang-02A 01 Qimingxing-1 Taijing-3 01 Taijing-4 01 Tianxian-1 (Chaohu-1) Chuangxing Leishen Wenchang-1 01, 02 XD-1 Tianqi-19 | SSO | Success |
| 3 | Standard | Y3 | 20 March 2024 00:31[10] | Wenchang, LC-2 | Queqiao-2 Tiandu-1 Tiandu-2 | Selenocentric | Success |
| 4 | 8A | Y1 | 11 February 2025 09:30[11] | Wenchang, LC-2 | Huliangwang Digui × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 02) | LEO | Success |
| 5 | Standard | Y6 | 11 March 2025 16:38[12] | Wenchang Commercial, LC-1 | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group 05) | Polar | Success |
| 6 | Standard | Y5 | April 2025[13] | Wenchang Commercial, LC-1 | Qianfan × 18 (G60 Polar Group TBD) | Polar | Planned |
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