Family: Long March
Long March 12
Launch statistics
- 6
- Launches (as of July 27, 2026)
- 2
- Successes
- 0
- Failures
- 100.0 %
- Success rate
The Long March 12 (LM-12 or CZ-12) is a Chinese medium-lift kerolox launch vehicle built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. It stands 62 m tall, weighs 433 tonnes at liftoff and comprises two stages. It can place at least 12 tonnes of payload into low Earth orbit and at least 6 tonnes into a 700 km Sun-synchronous orbit; at 300 km altitude its stated capacity is 10,000 kg. Its first stage is powered by four YF-100K engines of 1,250 kN each, while the second uses two YF-115 engines of 180 kN, both burning RP-1 and liquid oxygen. The rocket is offered with two payload fairings, 5.2 and 4.2 m in diameter. Its most striking structural feature is the 3.8 m stage diameter, a first for China. It is more economical than the medium-to-heavy-lift Long March 7, which was designed to become human-rated. The CZ-12 lifts off from pad LC-2 at the new commercial spaceport at Wenchang, on the coast of Hainan. All its flights so far have gone to low Earth orbit with satellites of the Guowang internet constellation. The family has since expanded with two reusable versions: the Long March 12A, with a recoverable first stage and methane engines, and the commercially oriented Long March 12B, of 4.37 m diameter.
History
Announcement and design
On 26 February 2024 the state-owned CASC released its annual "Blue Book" detailing launch plans for the year, and among the projects revealed was the new medium-lift Long March 12. The vehicle was designed as a two-stage rocket: four YF-100K engines of 1,250 kN on the first stage and two YF-115 engines of 180 kN on the second, all burning RP-1 and liquid oxygen, with two fairing options of 5.2 and 4.2 m diameter. The 3.8 m stage diameter was a first for Chinese industry and was tied from the outset to the new commercial site on Hainan.
Maiden flight
The debut came at 14:25 UTC on 30 November 2024 from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Site, with two payloads: the "Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite" and "Technology Test Satellite-3". The mission carried a double significance: it was the first orbital flight of the YF-100K engine, a critical component of the under-development super-heavy Long March 10 lunar rocket, and the first launch from the new commercial complex at Wenchang.
Cadence and reusable variants
The CZ-12 has since strung together six launches through June 2026, all successful and all to low Earth orbit with batches of Guowang satellites: 4 August 2025, 10 November 2025, 11 December 2025, 19 January 2026 and 17 June 2026. In parallel, SAST introduced the Long March 12A on 23 December 2025, with a reusable first stage and methane/liquid-oxygen engines supplied by commercial providers; on its first flight it placed a mass simulator in orbit, but the recovery attempt was not successful. It keeps the same 3.8 m diameter. Shortly afterwards the more powerful Long March 12B was unveiled, of 4.37 m diameter, which passed a static fire test on 16 January 2026 at Jiuquan and first flew on 1 June 2026 with no recovery attempted.
Launch timeline
| Date | Launch site | Outcome | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 16, 2026, 4:10 AM | Commercial LC-2 | Success | A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. The constellation will eventually consists of 13000 satellites. |
| Jun 17, 2026, 2:44 AM | Commercial LC-2 | Success | A batch of 9 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. The constellation will eventually consists of 13000 satellites. |
Versions
| CZ-12A | |
|---|---|
| First launch | December 23, 2025 |
| Height | 69 m |
| Diameter | 3.8 m |
| Mass | 437,000 kg |
| Liftoff thrust | 5,215 kN |
| Stages | 2 |
| LEO capacity | 9,000 kg |
| Reusable | Yes |
Images