Long March 8

Long March 8

Rendering of Long March 8 Y1
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT)
Country of origin	China
Size
Height	CZ-8 (core only): 48 m (157 ft)[1] CZ-8: 50.34 m (165.2 ft) CZ-8A: 50.5 m (166 ft)[2]
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Mass	CZ-8 (core only): 198,000 kg (437,000 lb)[1] CZ-8: 356,000 kg (785,000 lb) CZ-8A: 371,000 kg (818,000 lb)[2]
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to SSO	CZ-8 (core only): 3,000 kg (6,600 lb)[1] CZ-8: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) CZ-8A: 7,000 kg (15,000 lb)[3]
Payload to LEO	8,100 kg (17,900 lb)
Payload to GTO	2,800 kg (6,200 lb)
Payload to TLI	1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Associated rockets
Comparable	Soyuz-2 Antares Falcon 9 Atlas V Ariane 6 H3
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	Wenchang, LC-2 Wenchang Commercial, LC-1
Total launches	8 (8: 4, 8A: 4)
Successes	8 (8: 4, 8A: 4)
First flight	8: 22 December 2020 8A: 11 February 2025
Last flight	8: 11 March 2025 (most recent) 8A: 16 October 2025 (most recent)
Boosters – K2
No. boosters	0 or 2
Length	26.903 m (88.26 ft)
Diameter	2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Engines	1 × YF-100
Thrust	SL: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) vac: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf)
Total thrust	SL: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) vac: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 300 s (2.9 km/s) vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)
Fuel	RP-1 / LOX
First stage – K3
Length	25.083 m (82.29 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines	2 × YF-100
Thrust	SL: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) vac: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	SL: 300 s (2.9 km/s) vac: 335 s (3.29 km/s)
Fuel	RP-1 / LOX
Second stage (CZ-8)
Length	12.375 m (40.60 ft)
Diameter	3 m (9.8 ft)
Engines	2 × YF-75
Thrust	167.17 kN (37,580 lbf)
Specific impulse	438 s (4.30 km/s)
Fuel	LH2 / LOX
Second stage (CZ-8A)
Length	12.375 m (40.60 ft)
Diameter	3.35 m (11.0 ft)
Engines	2 × YF-75H
Thrust	200 kN (45,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	442.6 s (4.340 km/s)
Fuel	LH2 / LOX

Long March 8 (Chinese: 长征八号运载火箭) is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).^[4]

The rocket is based on the Long March 7 with its dual engine first stage and single engine boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of the Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its second stage. Whereas the LM-7 uses 4 boosters, the LM-8 normally uses just 2. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.^[1]

A planned future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will be partially reusable by featuring a combined booster recovery of the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.^[5]

The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.^[6]

The "core only" variant first flew in February 2022.^[1]

An upgraded version of the Long March 8, the Long March 8A (Chinese: 长征八号甲运载火箭), has successfully debuted on February 11, 2025^[7] with increased capability of up to 7 tonnes to a 700 km altitude sun-synchronous orbit. It implements a larger 3.35 meters diameter liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen second stage, coupled with 2 upgraded version of the YF-75D engines (known as the YF-75H) with increased thrust to 10 tonnes each through measures such as increased turbopump speeds. The Long March 8A can also use a larger 5.2 meters diameter payload fairing.

• List of Long March launches (2025-2029)
• Long March 9
• Comparison of orbital launchers families
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• Expendable launch system
• Lists of rockets

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