In a significant leap for its space endeavors, China has successfully launched the Long March 12B carrier rocket on its inaugural mission. Departing from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the rocket smoothly reached its designated orbit, facilitating the deployment of the latest batch of the Spacesail Constellation communication satellites.
With a towering height of approximately 72 meters, the Long March 12B stands as China’s most robust single-body rocket to date. This two-stage launch vehicle is equipped with 10 engines fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene, which collectively produce around 800 metric tons of thrust during liftoff. It is capable of transporting over 20 tons of cargo into low-Earth orbit.
The development journey of this rocket commenced in September 2024, integrating a suite of advanced technologies aimed at enhancing its performance and efficiency. These innovations include high-efficiency propulsion systems, lightweight structural designs, optimized fuel management techniques, and sophisticated autonomous flight-control software that can handle unexpected in-flight issues.
Looking forward, engineers are poised to conduct further trials to potentially recover and reutilize the rocket’s first-stage booster. Success in this area would pave the way for a reusable version of the Long March 12B to be operational in the future.
The mission also contributed to the expansion of the Spacesail Constellation, a satellite network in low-Earth orbit designed to deliver high-speed broadband internet services worldwide. With more than 160 satellites now launched, the project aims to deploy over 10,000 satellites by the year 2030. This latest achievement underscores China’s advancing commercial space sector and its strategic goals to broaden global satellite internet access.