In a surprise launch, China is developing another large rocket designed for reuse

Monday’s launch did not include any tests of the first stage, but the rocket did carry grid fins and landing legs, important hardware items for future tests. A statement released by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which is the parent of CACL, announced that the first flight of the Long March 12B was a “complete success” in the final statement.

“This launch adds another high-altitude rocket to (China’s) multi-internet fleet,” CASC said. “No recovery tests have been performed during this operation; however, the first recovery tests are expected to be performed at a later date, in good time.”

Satellite for one of the largest of these internet groups he ascended into space aboard Long March 12B, which launched the Qianfan Broadband spacecraft into low-Earth orbit. Qianfan is one of two leading constellations in China, each aiming to replicate in China what SpaceX’s Starlink does in the United States.

Who is involved?

The Long March rocket family began in 1970, when China launched its first satellite into orbit. March 1st long drive from Chinese missiles. Many iterations have followed. The March 2, 3, and 4 long-range rockets were China’s most powerful rockets in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. These rockets are still in service but are being replaced by newer models, such as the Long March 5, 6, 7, and 8, which can launch everything from small satellites to large Chinese modules.

Confusingly, the Long March 12 family now includes three different species. The original Long March 12, with four kerosene-powered engines, was first launched in 2024, a modest, low-cost performance. A partial modification of the Long March 12A launched in December, replacing the Long March 12’s fossil fuel engines with a methane fuel system supplied to a local engine manufacturer. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) managed the development of the Long March 12 and 12A.