What are China’s Orbital Launch Capabilities in 2025?

Global Heavyweight

In 2025, China’s space program operates as a global heavyweight, defined by an accelerating launch cadence, expanding on-orbit infrastructure, and ambitious deep-space exploration goals. The nation’s capacity to access and utilize space is no longer a monolithic, state-run enterprise. It has evolved into a complex, state-guided hybrid ecosystem where the established power of state-owned enterprises exists alongside a vibrant and rapidly maturing commercial sector. This dual-track approach is fundamental to achieving China’s expansive strategic objectives, from the rapid deployment of two separate satellite internet mega-constellations to the continuous operation of the Tiangong space station and the pursuit of a crewed lunar landing before the end of the decade.

At the heart of this capability is a diverse and growing fleet of orbital launch vehicles. These rockets are the instruments of national ambition, each designed and operated to fill a specific role within a grander strategy. The state-owned Long March family, the historical backbone of the program, continues to provide the heavy-lift and human-rated launch services essential for prestige missions and core infrastructure. Simultaneously, a new generation of commercial launch providers, fostered by government policy and investment, is introducing innovative technologies, lower-cost launch models, and the high-tempo launch capacity required for populating massive satellite constellations. This article provides a detailed assessment of every operational Chinese orbital launch vehicle as of August 2025, examining the capabilities of both the state-owned titans and the rising commercial challengers that together define China’s modern gateway to space.

The State-Owned Foundation: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the primary contractor for the Chinese space program and the operator of the Long March rocket family. For decades, these vehicles have been the exclusive means by which China has reached orbit, carrying everything from the nation’s first satellite to its first taikonauts. The Long March fleet is a testament to a long-term, state-directed industrial strategy, evolving from early military-derived systems into a sophisticated portfolio of modern launchers. As of 2025, this portfolio includes both venerable, time-tested rockets that continue to serve niche roles and a new generation of more powerful, efficient, and environmentally friendly vehicles designed to support China’s most demanding missions.

The Long March Legacy

The Long March, or Chang Zheng, rocket family has its roots in China’s early ballistic missile programs of the Cold War era. The first orbital launcher, the Long March 1, was a direct derivative of the Dong Feng 3 intermediate-range ballistic missile, and it was this vehicle that successfully placed China’s first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, into orbit in 1970. Subsequent, more powerful rockets like the Long March 2, 3, and 4 families were based on the larger Dong Feng 5 intercontinental ballistic missile. This military foundation provided a robust and relatively rapid pathway to developing space launch capabilities.

A defining characteristic of these early-generation rockets was their use of hypergolic propellants—typically a combination of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and nitrogen tetroxide (N2​O4​) as an oxidizer. These propellants have a significant operational advantage: they are stable at room temperature and ignite on contact, simplifying engine design and allowing a rocket to be kept in a fueled, launch-ready state for extended periods. This makes them ideal for military missiles that require rapid response. these substances are also highly toxic, carcinogenic, and corrosive, posing significant risks during handling and creating environmental hazards when spent stages fall back to Earth, often over inland Chinese provinces. The transition away from these propellants toward cleaner and more efficient cryogenic fuels—liquid oxygen paired with either kerosene or liquid hydrogen—is a hallmark of the new-generation Long March rockets that now form the core of China’s modern launch fleet.

Legacy Workhorses: The Enduring Pillars

Despite the introduction of more advanced launchers, several older-generation Long March variants remain in active service. Their continued operation is a testament to their established records of reliability and their suitability for specific, routine missions that do not require the heavy-lift capacity of the newest models. They are the dependable workhorses that handle a significant portion of China’s annual launch manifest.

Long March 2 Series (2C, 2D, 2F)

The Long March 2 family represents the oldest operational branch of the Long March lineage. While several variants have been retired, three continue to fly. The Long March 2C and 2D are two-stage rockets used for launching a variety of payloads, including Earth observation, scientific, and military reconnaissance satellites, primarily into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). They are frequently launched from the inland Jiuquan and Taiyuan launch centers.

The most distinguished member of this family is the Long March 2F. This is China’s only human-rated launch vehicle and stands as one of the most reliable rockets in the world. It is exclusively tasked with launching taikonaut crews aboard Shenzhou spacecraft to the Tiangong space station. The rocket is a two-stage vehicle augmented by four liquid-fueled strap-on boosters. To achieve its human-rated status, the Long March 2F incorporates extensive redundancies in its control and flight systems, along with a launch escape system—a small rocket tower mounted atop the payload fairing—designed to pull the Shenzhou capsule and its crew safely away from the main rocket in the event of a catastrophic failure during ascent. Every crewed mission since Yang Liwei’s historic flight in 2003 has launched atop a Long March 2F from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. A slightly modified variant, sometimes referred to as the 2F/T, is used to launch uncrewed Tianzhou cargo spacecraft to the space station, although this role is now primarily handled by the newer Long March 7.

Long March 3 Series (3B/E, 3C/E)

The Long March 3 series is China’s primary launch solution for missions to high-energy orbits, particularly the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). This is the standard elliptical path used to deliver communications and navigation satellites toward their final operational position in geostationary orbit, a circular path 35,786 kilometers above the Equator where a satellite’s orbital period matches Earth’s rotation.

The key to the Long March 3’s capability is its high-performance third stage, which uses cryogenic propellants: liquid hydrogen (LH2​) as fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer. This combination provides a much higher specific impulse, or fuel efficiency, than the hypergolic or kerosene-based engines used on lower stages. The engine on this stage can also be restarted in the vacuum of space, allowing for complex orbital insertion maneuvers. This enables the rocket to first reach a preliminary parking orbit and then, at the optimal point in its trajectory, fire its engine again to propel the payload into the highly elliptical GTO.

The operational variants in 2025 are the Long March 3B/E and 3C/E. The “E” signifies an “enhanced” version with stretched propellant tanks and more powerful boosters compared to the original models. The Long March 3B/E is the more powerful of the two, using four strap-on boosters, while the 3C/E uses two. These rockets are the backbone for deploying China’s Beidou global navigation satellite system and for launching commercial communications satellites for both domestic and international customers from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Long March 4 Series (4B, 4C)

The Long March 4 series consists of three-stage, hypergolic-fueled rockets specialized for launches into Sun-Synchronous Orbits (SSO). An SSO is a specific type of polar orbit designed so that a satellite passes over any given point on Earth’s surface at the same local solar time. This is exceptionally useful for Earth observation, weather, and reconnaissance satellites, as it ensures consistent lighting conditions for imaging, allowing for easier comparison of changes on the ground over time.

The operational Long March 4B and 4C variants primarily launch from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, which is geographically suited for insertions into high-inclination polar orbits. The Long March 4C is a more capable version of the 4B, featuring a restartable third-stage engine that offers greater mission flexibility and more precise orbital delivery. These rockets are workhorses for deploying China’s various remote sensing satellite constellations, such as the Yaogan and Gaofen series.

The New Generation: Powering Modern Ambitions

Beginning in the mid-2010s, CASC introduced a new family of launch vehicles designed from the ground up to meet the demands of China’s 21st-century space ambitions. These rockets represent a significant technological leap forward. They are modular in design, allowing different components to be combined to create vehicles of varying sizes and capabilities. They exclusively use higher-performance and non-toxic propellants—liquid oxygen and kerosene for their core and booster stages, and liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for their upper stages. This shift not only improves performance but also mitigates the environmental and safety risks associated with the older hypergolic-fueled rockets. These new launchers are the cornerstones of China’s flagship programs, including the Tiangong space station, lunar exploration, and future interplanetary missions.

Long March 5 (Heavy-Lift Champion)

The Long March 5 is the most powerful launch vehicle in China’s operational fleet and the foundation of its new-generation rocket family. Nicknamed “Pang Wu” or “Fat Five” due to its wide 5-meter diameter core, it is a heavy-lift rocket capable of launching the largest and heaviest payloads. Its development was essential for enabling China’s most ambitious projects.

The rocket features a two-stage core design. The first stage is powered by two YF-77 engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. It is augmented by four large, 3.35-meter diameter strap-on boosters, each powered by two high-thrust YF-100 liquid oxygen and kerosene engines. The YF-100 engine is a cornerstone of the new rocket generation and is also used on the Long March 6, 7, and 8. The second stage of the Long March 5 also uses cryogenic liquid hydrogen and oxygen, powered by two YF-75D engines, giving it the high efficiency needed to send payloads to distant destinations.

Two main variants of the Long March 5 are in service:

• Long March 5: This is the standard two-stage version designed for high-energy trajectories. It is the only Chinese rocket capable of launching heavy interplanetary probes, such as the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars, and lunar sample-return missions like Chang’e 5 and Chang’e 6. It is also used to launch heavy satellites directly into Geostationary Transfer Orbit.
• Long March 5B: This variant is optimized for lifting extremely heavy payloads to Low Earth Orbit. It consists of the same core first stage and four boosters but omits the second stage. Instead, it features an exceptionally large payload fairing to accommodate bulky cargo. Its sole purpose is to launch the 22-ton class modules of the Tiangong space station, such as the Tianhe core module and the Wentian and Mengtian experiment modules.

All Long March 5 launches take place from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island, as its large components are too wide to be transported by rail to China’s inland spaceports and must be delivered by sea.

Long March 7 (Space Station Freighter)

The Long March 7 is a medium-to-heavy lift launch vehicle designed to be the primary logistics vehicle for the Tiangong space station. Its core stage has a diameter of 3.35 meters and is powered by two YF-100 engines. It is assisted by four 2.25-meter diameter boosters, each with a single YF-100 engine. This configuration gives it the performance needed to lift China’s Tianzhou cargo spacecraft, which weighs over 13 tons, to the space station’s orbit.

The Long March 7 serves as a bridge between the legacy Long March 2 and the heavy-lift Long March 5. Like the LM-5, it launches exclusively from the coastal Wenchang site. A variant, the Long March 7A, adds a cryogenic third stage derived from the Long March 3B. This addition transforms the rocket into a capable GTO launcher, providing a modern, non-hypergolic alternative for deploying communications satellites.

Long March 6 (Light-Lift Family)

The Long March 6 family is CASC’s modern solution for the small satellite launch market. The base Long March 6 is a small, three-stage rocket designed for rapid-response launches of light payloads. Its 3.35-meter diameter first stage is essentially a scaled-down version of the Long March 5’s boosters, powered by a single YF-100 engine. It is capable of placing around 1,000 kg into a Sun-Synchronous Orbit.

To address the growing demand for launching larger satellites and entire constellations, CASC developed two more powerful variants:

• Long March 6A: This is a significantly larger vehicle. It features a stretched first stage, a wider second stage, and four solid rocket boosters strapped to the core. This configuration boosts its payload capacity to over 5,000 kg to SSO, making it suitable for launching batches of satellites for China’s national internet constellations.
• Long March 6C: This variant is a medium-lift rocket that sits between the 6 and 6A in performance. It uses the same core stage as the 6A but without the solid rocket boosters, offering a more cost-effective solution for medium-sized payloads.

The Long March 6 family primarily operates from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

Long March 8 (The Reusability Testbed)

The Long March 8 is a versatile medium-lift launcher that fills a performance gap in CASC’s portfolio. Its design is a hybrid of existing systems, combining the first stage of the Long March 7 with two of its boosters and the cryogenic second stage of the Long March 3 series. This modular approach accelerated its development.

The Long March 8’s most significant role is as CASC’s primary platform for developing and testing first-stage reusability. While the initial flights have been expendable, the rocket’s architecture is designed to eventually support vertical landing and recovery of its integrated first stage and boosters. This effort represents the state sector’s strategic response to the global shift toward reusable launch vehicles.

In early 2025, the more powerful Long March 8A made its debut. This upgraded version features a more powerful second stage and a larger payload fairing, increasing its capacity to SSO to 7,000 kg. Its primary mission is to support the deployment of China’s satellite internet mega-constellations.

Long March 12 (New Constellation Launcher)

The Long March 12 is the newest member of the operational Long March family, having made its maiden flight in 2024. It is a two-stage rocket specifically designed to meet the high-demand launch market for satellite internet constellations. A key design feature is its 3.8-meter diameter core stage, a new standard for Chinese rockets. This wider diameter allows for more efficient propellant storage and structural integrity.

Powered by four YF-100K engines on its first stage and two YF-115 engines on its second—all burning liquid oxygen and kerosene—the Long March 12 can deliver over 10,000 kg to LEO or 6,000 kg to a 700 km SSO. It launched from the new Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site, signaling its role in a new era of higher-cadence, commercially-oriented launch operations.

Long March 11 (Rapid & Responsive)

The Long March 11 is a unique asset in CASC’s fleet. It is a four-stage, solid-propellant rocket, a design that offers distinct operational advantages. Unlike liquid-fueled rockets that require complex and time-consuming fueling procedures on the launch pad, solid rockets can be manufactured, fueled, and stored for long periods. This enables a “quick-reaction” launch capability.

The Long March 11 can be launched within 24 hours of a decision, either from a transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle on a simple concrete pad or from a converted barge at sea. This flexibility provides a tactical capability to rapidly deploy or replace a satellite in orbit. Its sea-launch capability is particularly valuable, as it allows the rocket to be positioned at the equator for maximum payload performance when launching to equatorial orbits. While its payload capacity is modest—around 700 kg to LEO—its responsiveness makes it a key component of China’s resilient space architecture.

The parallel development of so many distinct new-generation Long March vehicles is not a sign of unfocused effort but rather the execution of a deliberate national strategy. This approach creates a highly specialized and resilient launch portfolio where each rocket is optimized for a specific mission class: heavy interplanetary and station construction (LM-5), station cargo logistics (LM-7), small satellite rideshares (LM-6 family), medium-lift and reusability development (LM-8), and high-cadence constellation deployment (LM-12). This specialization minimizes performance compromises that can arise from a “one-size-fits-all” design philosophy. It also builds deep operational redundancy into the national program. If a technical issue were to ground one rocket family, its specific missions would be impacted, but launches in other payload classes could continue without interruption on their dedicated vehicles. This architecture insulates China’s overall space program from the systemic risk of relying on just one or two launch systems for all its needs.

The Commercial Ascent: A New Force in Chinese Spaceflight

While CASC provides the foundational strength of China’s space program, the most dynamic growth is occurring in the commercial sector. A landmark 2014 government policy decision, often referred to as “Document 60,” officially opened China’s space industry to private investment. This move was not simply about deregulation; it was a strategic decision to harness the innovation, agility, and cost-efficiency of the private market to accelerate national space objectives. In the decade since, over 500 companies have entered the space sector, including more than 20 focused on developing and operating launch vehicles. This has created a bustling, competitive, and rapidly evolving landscape that is fundamentally reshaping China’s access to orbit.

A State-Cultivated Commercial Ecosystem

China’s commercial space sector operates within a unique framework that differs significantly from a purely free-market model. It is best understood as a state-cultivated ecosystem where private enterprise is guided and supported to serve national strategic priorities. This “civil-military fusion” approach is evident in several ways. Many of the leading commercial firms were founded by engineers and managers with extensive experience at state-owned enterprises like CASC or the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). This transfer of talent and institutional knowledge provided a critical head start.

Furthermore, funding for these startups comes from a mix of private venture capital and, significantly, state-backed investment funds, often at the provincial level. Local governments in cities like Shanghai and Beijing have established industrial parks and offered subsidies and loan discounts to attract and nurture aerospace startups. This state support de-risks private investment and aligns commercial development with government goals.

The primary driver for this commercial boom is the immense demand created by the state itself. China is in the process of deploying at least two satellite internet mega-constellations, known as Guowang (“National Network”) and Qianfan (“Thousand Sails”). These projects will require thousands of satellites to be launched into Low Earth Orbit in the coming years, a task that would strain the capacity of CASC alone. The government has strategically opened this launch market to commercial providers, creating a massive and guaranteed customer base that fuels the development of new, low-cost, and reusable rockets. In 2025, this strategy is bearing fruit, with several commercial companies set to debut medium-lift launchers and begin servicing these lucrative constellation contracts. These firms are also being integrated into other national programs, with some selected to fly low-cost cargo resupply missions to the Tiangong space station, a clear vote of confidence in their capabilities.

Leading Commercial Providers and Their Fleets

By August 2025, several commercial companies have established themselves as key players, either through a proven track record of successful launches or with highly anticipated new vehicles making their debut. They are pushing the technological envelope, with a strong focus on reusable first stages and advanced methalox (methane and liquid oxygen) propulsion systems.

LandSpace (Zhuque-2 & Zhuque-3)

LandSpace is a pioneering force in the commercial sector. In July 2023, its Zhuque-2 rocket became the world’s first methane-fueled launch vehicle to successfully reach orbit, a major technological milestone. Methane offers a compelling balance of performance, cost-effectiveness, and reusability, as it burns cleaner than kerosene and is less prone to coking, or soot buildup, in engines. The operational version in 2025 is the upgraded Zhuque-2E, a medium-lift expendable rocket capable of delivering 4,000 kg to a 500 km SSO. It serves as a reliable launcher for commercial satellites and is slated for a high launch cadence.

The company’s main focus in 2025 is the maiden flight of the Zhuque-3. This is a much larger and more ambitious vehicle designed for reusability. Standing 76.6 meters tall with a 4.5-meter diameter, it is constructed from stainless steel. Its reusable first stage is powered by nine Tianque-12A methalox engines and is designed to be reused at least 20 times. In its reusable configuration, it can lift over 18,000 kg to LEO. The Zhuque-3 is a direct answer to the global demand for low-cost, medium-to-heavy lift launch. Its debut year is marked by a planned mission to deliver the new reusable Haolong cargo shuttle to the Tiangong space station, a landmark achievement demonstrating that commercial providers are now trusted with missions supporting China’s most valuable on-orbit asset.

Galactic Energy (Ceres-1 & Pallas-1)

Galactic Energy has distinguished itself through operational reliability and a high launch frequency. Its primary vehicle, the Ceres-1, is a small, four-stage solid-propellant rocket. It has become a workhorse for the small satellite market, having conducted dozens of successful launches from both land-based pads at Jiuquan and from mobile sea platforms. Its simple, solid-fuel design allows for rapid launch campaigns, making it an attractive option for customers needing to get small payloads to orbit quickly and affordably. It can deliver about 300 kg to a 500 km SSO.

While the Ceres-1 provides a steady stream of revenue and experience, Galactic Energy is moving into the more competitive medium-lift market in 2025 with the debut of its Pallas-1 rocket. This is a two-stage liquid-fueled rocket using kerosene and liquid oxygen. Critically, its first stage is designed for reusability from the outset, featuring grid fins and landing legs for powered vertical landings. With a capacity of 8,000 kg to LEO, the Pallas-1 is positioned to compete for contracts to launch larger commercial satellites and batches of constellation satellites.

i-Space (Hyperbola-1 & Hyperbola-3)

i-Space holds the distinction of being the first private Chinese company to successfully reach orbit. It achieved this in July 2019 with its Hyperbola-1 rocket, a four-stage solid-fueled small-lift launcher. The rocket has had a mixed operational record, with several subsequent launch failures before returning to flight successfully. It remains an operational option for small satellite customers, with a payload capacity of around 300 kg to SSO.

Like its competitors, i-Space is pivoting toward larger, reusable liquid-fueled rockets. The company’s next-generation vehicle, the Hyperbola-3, is scheduled for its maiden flight in 2025. This is a two-stage methalox rocket designed for partial reusability. In its expendable configuration, it aims to lift over 13,000 kg to LEO, placing it firmly in the medium-lift class. The development of its reusable first stage has been supported by successful “hop tests” of a prototype vehicle, demonstrating vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.

CAS Space (Kinetica-1 & Kinetica-2)

CAS Space, a commercial spin-off from the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), occupies a unique position between the state and private sectors. Its operational vehicle, the Kinetica-1 (also known as Lijian-1), is the most powerful solid-fueled rocket in China. This four-stage rocket stands 30 meters tall and can deliver a 2,000 kg payload to LEO, making it significantly more capable than other commercial solid rockets. It has conducted numerous successful launches from Jiuquan.

In 2025, CAS Space is set to debut its first liquid-fueled rocket, the Kinetica-2. This medium-lift vehicle uses kerosene and liquid oxygen and is designed to lift up to 12,000 kg to LEO. The Kinetica-2 is also slated to participate in the low-cost cargo transportation program for the Tiangong space station, launching the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft on its maiden flight in September 2025. This mission underscores the deep integration of these quasi-commercial entities into core national space programs.

Orienspace (Gravity-1 & Gravity-2)

Orienspace made a powerful entrance into the launch market in early 2024 with the successful maiden flight of its Gravity-1 rocket. This vehicle is the world’s most powerful solid-fueled launch vehicle, capable of lifting 6,500 kg to LEO. Its inaugural launch was conducted from a mobile sea platform in the Yellow Sea, demonstrating a high degree of operational flexibility. The Gravity-1 provides a unique capability for deploying entire constellations of small satellites in a single launch.

Following this success, Orienspace is targeting a late 2025 debut for its Gravity-2 rocket. This is a heavy-lift vehicle with a hybrid design, featuring a liquid-fueled core stage powered by nine kerosene-oxygen engines, augmented by solid rocket boosters. It is designed to be partially recoverable and will be able to lift over 25,000 kg to LEO, placing it in a similar performance class to the state-owned Long March 7.

Space Pioneer (Tianlong-3)

Space Pioneer is another key contender in the reusable medium-lift market. Its Tianlong-3 rocket, scheduled for its first orbital flight in 2025, is a two-stage kerosene-liquid oxygen vehicle. Its design and performance are often compared to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The first stage is powered by nine Tianhuo-12 engines and is equipped with grid fins and landing legs for future recovery and reuse. The rocket is designed to carry up to 17,000 kg to LEO in its expendable configuration. The company has overcome an earlier setback during a 2024 static fire test and is now poised to become a major launch provider for China’s satellite constellations.

Expace (Kuaizhou Series)

Expace is a commercial subsidiary of CASIC, a major state-owned defense and aerospace contractor. It operates the Kuaizhou (“Speedy Vessel”) family of rockets. These are small, solid-fueled launchers derived directly from military missile technology. The operational workhorse is the Kuaizhou-1A, a four-stage rocket capable of lifting around 300 kg to LEO.

The Kuaizhou’s design philosophy is centered on rapid response. Like the Long March 11, it can be transported and launched from a mobile vehicle with minimal ground preparation. This “quick-reaction” capability makes it suitable for both commercial small satellite launches and strategic missions that may require the rapid deployment or replenishment of space assets.

The near-simultaneous debut of at least five new, medium-lift, reusable or reusability-focused commercial rockets in 2025—Zhuque-3, Pallas-1, Hyperbola-3, Kinetica-2, and Tianlong-3—is no accident. It is the calculated result of a decade of state policy and investment. The 2014 decision to open the space sector to private capital initiated a development cycle that is now reaching maturity. This timing aligns perfectly with the imminent, massive launch demand from the Guowang national internet constellation. This is not merely organic market competition; it is a coordinated industrial surge. The state created the demand (Guowang), fostered the supply by supporting numerous commercial launch startups, and is now seeing the synchronized arrival of the diverse, high-cadence launch capacity it needs. This represents a successful, long-term industrial strategy to build a strategic national asset without placing the entire burden on the state-owned CASC.

Launch Infrastructure and Operations

China’s ability to maintain a high launch tempo with an increasingly diverse fleet of rockets is supported by a robust and expanding network of launch sites. This ground infrastructure has evolved from a few remote, inland bases to include modern coastal facilities and flexible sea-launch capabilities, each tailored to specific mission requirements and rocket types. This expansion is a direct response to the needs of both the national space program and the growing commercial sector.

China’s National Spaceports

China operates four primary state-run spaceports, each with a distinct history and specialized role determined by its geographical location and infrastructure.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

Located in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia, Jiuquan is China’s oldest and most famous spaceport. Established in 1958, it was the site of China’s first satellite launch in 1970 and remains the exclusive launch site for all of the nation’s crewed missions. The Long March 2F rockets carrying Shenzhou spacecraft lift off from its heavily fortified launch complexes. Due to its inland location, Jiuquan is best suited for launches into orbits with large inclination angles. In recent years, it has also become the primary hub for many commercial companies, particularly those operating smaller, solid-fueled rockets that can be launched from simpler pads.

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

Situated in a mountainous region of Shanxi province, Taiyuan is China’s primary site for launches into polar and Sun-Synchronous Orbits. Its higher latitude makes it energetically efficient to reach these high-inclination orbits. It is the main base of operations for the Long March 4 and Long March 6 rocket families, which are frequently used to launch meteorological, Earth observation, and reconnaissance satellites.

Xichang Satellite Launch Center

Nestled in a valley in Sichuan province in southwestern China, Xichang has historically been the center for launches to geostationary orbit. Its more southerly latitude compared to Jiuquan and Taiyuan provides a performance advantage for GTO missions, which require significant energy to reach high altitudes. It is the home of the Long March 3 rocket family, which has launched the majority of China’s communications and navigation satellites. Due to its location in a populated region, falling boosters from its hypergolic-fueled rockets have long been a safety concern.

Wenchang Space Launch Site

Wenchang, located on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan, is China’s newest, largest, and most advanced spaceport. Operational since 2016, it was built specifically to handle the new generation of large, cryogenically-fueled rockets. Its location at 19 degrees north latitude, the closest of any Chinese site to the equator, provides a significant performance boost from Earth’s rotational speed, allowing rockets to lift heavier payloads. Its coastal position is another key advantage. It allows the massive, 5-meter-diameter stages of the Long March 5 and other new rockets to be transported by sea from their manufacturing facilities in northern China. Launch trajectories from Wenchang head out over the South China Sea, ensuring that spent stages and boosters fall harmlessly into the ocean, resolving the safety issues associated with inland launches. Wenchang is the exclusive launch site for the heavy-lift Long March 5 and the medium-lift Long March 7 and 8 families.

New Commercial Gateways to Space

The surge in launch activity driven by the commercial sector has necessitated the development of new infrastructure designed to accommodate a high tempo of operations without interfering with national missions at the state-run pads.

Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site

To meet the needs of the commercial boom, China has constructed its first dedicated commercial spaceport. Located in Wenchang, near the existing state-run site, the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site began operations in late 2024. It is designed to be a flexible, efficient facility capable of supporting a wide range of liquid-fueled commercial rockets from different companies. Its initial launch pads are built to handle vehicles like the new Long March 12 and the upcoming fleet of commercial medium-lift launchers. The creation of this site is a clear signal that the government intends to segregate high-cadence commercial launches from the more methodical pace of major national missions, thereby optimizing the efficiency and capacity of its entire launch ecosystem.

Sea Launch Platforms

A growing number of Chinese rockets are now capable of being launched from the sea. This method, used by the solid-fueled Long March 11, Ceres-1, and Gravity-1, involves launching the rocket from a large, specially converted barge. Sea launch offers unparalleled flexibility. The platform can be positioned anywhere along the coast or in international waters, allowing for launches from the optimal latitude for a given mission. For example, positioning the barge at the equator maximizes the payload a rocket can deliver to an equatorial orbit. It also provides an almost infinite number of launch azimuths with clear downrange flight paths over the ocean, enhancing safety and mission flexibility.

The development of this multi-layered infrastructure represents a sophisticated strategic approach to national space access. The established state-run spaceports serve as the foundation for critical national security, scientific, and human spaceflight missions. The new commercial land-based site at Hainan acts as a high-throughput hub for the industrial-scale task of constellation deployment. Finally, the mobile sea-launch platforms provide a decentralized, highly flexible, and geographically unconstrained capability for tactical and specialized missions. This layered architecture creates a launch ecosystem that is not only high-capacity but also highly resilient, insulating China’s access to space from potential disruptions at any single fixed location.

Summary

As of August 2025, China commands a formidable and multifaceted orbital launch capability, characterized by a deep portfolio of vehicles and a rapidly expanding industrial base. The nation’s approach is a unique hybrid, effectively leveraging the strengths of two distinct but complementary sectors. The state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) continues to provide the bedrock of the program with its Long March family. These rockets, from the human-rated Long March 2F to the heavy-lift Long March 5, are the exclusive tools for executing China’s highest-priority missions: sustaining the Tiangong space station, sending probes to the Moon and Mars, and ensuring the deployment of critical national security assets.

Working in parallel is a dynamic and innovative commercial sector, cultivated by state policy to meet the voracious demand for high-cadence, low-cost launch services. These private and quasi-private firms are not just replicating existing technology; they are at the forefront of developing reusable rockets and advanced methalox propulsion systems. The year 2025 marks a watershed moment, with a wave of new, powerful commercial launchers making their debut, all timed to begin the monumental task of building out China’s satellite internet mega-constellations. This commercial surge, supported by new dedicated launch infrastructure, is set to dramatically increase the country’s total annual launch capacity. Together, the steady hand of the state and the agile force of the market have equipped China with a diverse, resilient, and powerful fleet of rockets, ensuring it remains a leading and highly competitive power in the space domain for the foreseeable future.