Long March 12
Chinese medium-lift carrier rocket
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The Long March 12 (Chinese: 长征十二号运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12, abbreviated LM-12 for export or CZ-12 within China), is a Chinese medium-lift launch vehicle carrier rocket. Both stages use liquid fuel: refined kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX). The manufacturer is Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. It is capable of placing at least 12 tonnes (26,000 lb) of payload in low Earth orbit and at least 6 tonnes (13,000 lb) in a 700 kilometres (430 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit. Its first launch took place on November 30, 2024 from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Site on Hainan island.[2][3]
Rendering of a Long March 12 | |
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 62 m (203 ft 5 in) |
| Diameter | 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Mass | 433 t (954,602 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Mass | 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 300 km (190 mi) |
| Mass | 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 700 km (430 mi) |
| Mass | 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 |
| Total launches | 5 |
| Success(es) | 5 |
| First flight | 30 November 2024 |
| Last flight | 19 January 2026 (most recent) |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 4 × YF-100K |
| Maximum thrust | 5,000 kN (1,100,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 2 × YF-115 |
| Maximum thrust | 360 kN (81,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX[1] |
There is also a reusable version of the rocket, the CZ-12A. This variant conducted a first flight on 23 December 2025; it successfully reached orbit although the initial first-stage recovery attempt was not successful.[4][5] A commercially-oriented reusable variant named the CZ-12B is also under development and its first flight is anticipated to occur in 2026.[6]
History and details
CZ-12
On 26 February 2024, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) released its annual "Blue Book" which detailed the company's launch plans for the coming year; one of the projects revealed in the Blue Book is the new Long March 12 medium-lift rocket.[2] Long March 12 (CZ-12) is designed as a two-stage rocket: its first stage is powered by four YF-100K 1250 KN engines using RP-1 and liquid oxygen while its second stage is powered by two YF-115 180 kN engines also using RP-1/LOX. The rocket offers two payload fairing choices, one with a diameter of 5.2 metres and another with a diameter of 4.2 metres.[7]
CZ-12 has a stage diameter of 3.8 metres, a first for China. It is launched from the new commercial launch site located at China's coastal spaceport in Wenchang.[8]
The maiden launch of the new rocket occurred at 14:25 UTC on 30 November 2024 from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Site. There were two payloads on the launch: the “Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite” and the “Technology Test Satellite-3”. Notably, this launch featured the new YF-100K rocket engine in its initial orbital launch attempt; the engine is a critical component of the under-development superheavy-lift Long March 10 lunar rocket. In addition, the maiden launch of the CZ-12 also constitutes the debut launch from the new Hainan commercial launch site.[3]
CZ-12A reusable variant
SAST introduced a variant with a reusable first stage: the Long March 12A (CZ-12A) on 23 December 2025. The initial attempt to recover the first-stage of the new rocket during its December 2025 first flight was not successful although the rocket successfully placed a mass simulator in orbit. The CZ-12A employs rocket engines based on methane for fuel and liquid-oxygen for the fuel's oxidizer; the CZ-12A's methane-based first-stage engines are built by commercial providers.[4]
CZ-12B reusable variant
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. (CACL) is also developing a more powerful variant of the CZ-12A carrier rocket, currently known as the Long March 12B.[4][6] CACL is an R&D and operations oriented commercial joint venture that appears to operate under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). A static fire test of the CZ-12B first stage took place on 16 January 2026 at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone within the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China; first launch of the rocket is anticipated to occur in 2026.[6]
Launch statistics
- Failure
- Partial failure
- Success
- Planned
List of launches
| Flight Number | Serial number | Date/Time (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Y1 | 30 November 2024 14:25 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang Jishu Shiyan 5A JSW-03 |
LEO | Success | Maiden flight of Long March 12. - First flight of YF-100K engines. - First launch from WC-LC-2 |
| 2 | Y2 | 4 August 2025 10:21 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 07) | LEO | Success | |
| 3 | Y3 | 10 November 2025 02:41 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 13) | LEO | Success | |
| 4 | Y4 | 11 December 2025 23:00 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 16) | LEO | Success | |
| 5 | Y5 | 19 January 2026 07:48 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 19) | LEO | Success |
