| Function | Medium-lift to heavy-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. |
| Country-origin | China |
| Height | ~72 m (236 ft 3 in) |
| Diameter | 4.37 m (14 ft 4 in) |
| Mass | > 437,000 kg (963,000 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable | |
| Status | Active |
| Sites | JSLC LM-12 Pad |
| Launches | 1 |
| Success | 1 |
| Fail | 0 |
| First | 1 June 2026 |
| Location | LEO |
|---|---|
| Mass | ~20,000 kg (44,000 lb) expendable, 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) reusable[1] |
| Altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Location | SSO |
|---|---|
| Mass | ~12,000 kg (26,000 lb) expendable[1] |
| Altitude | 500 km (310 mi) |
| Stageno | First |
|---|---|
| Engines | 9 x YF102R[2] |
| Thrust | 7,515 kN (1,689,000 lbf) |
| Si | 275.3 isp |
| Fuel | RP-1 / LOX |
| Stageno | Second |
|---|---|
| Engines | YF-102V[2] |
| Thrust | 835 kN (188,000 lbf) |
| Fuel | RP-1 / LOX |
The Long March 12B (, abbreviated LM-12B or CZ-12B), is a Chinese reusable medium-lift to heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket has two stages and its first stage is designed to be reused after stage-recovery via propulsive landing. Both stages of the rocket will use kerosene and liquid oxygen (LOX) for propulsion. The rocket is being developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. (CACL), operating under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The first flight of the rocket successfully occurred on June 1st, 2026.[3]
History
CACL has described the CZ-12B as a 4-meter-diameter class rocket that will use a kerosene and liquid oxygen propellant mix, unlike the CZ-12A which use methane and liquid oxygen. CACL further describes the CZ-12B as having a “20-ton-class low Earth orbit carrying capacity”, this is likely in an expendable mode.[4]
A static fire test of the rocket's first stage occurred on 16 January 2026 at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone within the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. First launch of the rocket is expected to occur in 2026.[4]
The first launch of the CZ-12B occurred on 1 June 2026; the mission was a success and placed the 08 Group of the Qianfan Constellation into polar orbits.[3]
List of launches
| Flight No. | Serial No. | Date/Time (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Outcome | Booster Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Y1 | 1 June 2026 08:40 UTC[3] | JSLC | 千帆极轨08组卫星 (Thousand Sails polar group 08) | Polar | Not attempted | |
| First flight of the reusable CZ-12B variant although first stage recovery was not attempted on this initial flight. | |||||||
See also
- Long March 12
- Long March 12A
- Comparison of orbital launcher families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
- Reusable launch vehicle
- Expendable launch system
- Lists of rockets
References
- ^ "Re: Inaugural launch - CZ-12B - JSLC - NET(?) March or before late January (Reply #2)". nasaspaceflight.com. 16 January 2026. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
- ^ C, Jack (17 January 2026). "Reusable Long March 12B fires up ahead of first flight". china-in-space.com. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ 李, 国利 & 王, 晨宇 (1 June 2026). "长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭发射成功". XINHUAnet.com. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (16 January 2026). "China conducts static fire test of new reusable Long March 12B rocket". spacenews.com. Retrieved 16 January 2026.