Long March 10B
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 70.2 m (230 ft)[1] |
| Diameter | 5.0 m (16.4 ft) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to Low Earth orbit 200 km | |
| Mass | 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) (recovered) |
| Payload to Low Earth orbit 900 km | |
| Mass | 11,000 kg (24,000 lb) (recovered) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March (rocket family) |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | In development |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Powered by | 7 x YF-100K |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 8,750 kN (1,970,000 lbf) Vacuum: 9,772 kN (2,197,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 301.6 s (2.958 km/s) Vacuum: 337 s (3.30 km/s) |
| Burn time | 227 seconds[2] |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Diameter | 5 m (16 ft) |
| Powered by | 1 x YF-219[1] |
| Propellant | CH4 / LOX |
Long March 10B (CZ-10B, Chinese: 长征十号乙) is an under-development, two-stage, medium-lift partially recoverable launch vehicle with a first-stage powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen and a second-stage powered by liquid methane and liquid oxygen. It is the third in the Long March 10 series of rockets and is derived using technologies developed for the Long March 10A. It will be operated by Chinarocket Co, Ltd, the commercial arm of CALT.[3]
The first test launch of the rocket is anticipated to occur in the first-half of 2026.[3]
Overview
In December 2025, a representative from the commercial arm of CALT (Chinarocket Co., Ltd.) presented plans for a commercial variant of the Long March 10A during the Wenchang International Aviation and Aerospace Forum 2025. This new variant, the Long March 10B, will have a payload capacity of at least 16 tonnes, likely in a reusable mode, to a 200 km low Earth orbit, and at least 11 tonnes to a 900 km orbit at 50 degrees orbital inclination.[3]
The new CZ-10B inherits the first stage of the Long March 10A but reportedly will use a more powerful second stage that employs methane and liquid oxygen as fuel and oxidizer respectively. The Long March 10B is anticipated to have a debut launch during the first half of 2026. There may also be an additional commercial variant tentatively named the Long March 10C.[4][5] The first stage of the CZ-10B, just as the CZ-10A variant, will be recoverable via a "net recovery apparatus" located on a recovery vessel after launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan island (the first-stage of the rocket is equipped with hooks that will catch the wire-net on the recovery ship).[3]
Currently, the first launch of the CZ-10B is scheduled for no earlier than April 2026.[6]
Launches
| Flight No. |
Rocket | Serial No. | Date/Time (UTC) |
Payload | Orbit | Launch site | Outcome | Booster Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CZ-10B | Y1 | NET 5 April 2026[6] | TBA | LEO | Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site | Planned | TBD |
| Debut orbital flight of CZ-10B, a partially reusable, cargo-optimized variant of the CZ-10 series for launching China's Satellite Internet megaconstellation.[3] | ||||||||
See also
- China National Space Administration
- List of Long March launches (2025-2029)
- Comparison of orbital launchers families
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
- Falcon 9
- Long March 10
- Space program of China
References
- ^ a b "Re: China to have new rockets (Reply #986) on: 03/05/2026 01:04 pm". nasaspaceflight.com. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
- ^ 王聪; 王劲博; 宋征宇 (2023). "登月火箭剩余运载能力估计与停泊轨道重规划". 宇航学报. 44 (9): 1323.
- ^ a b c d e Jones, Andrew (31 December 2025). "China to debut reusable Long March 10-derived rocket in first half of 2026". SpaceNews. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Re: China to have new rockets". nasaspaceflight.com. 25 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "长十乙，预计明年航天日前后完成首飞, 二级使用液氧甲烷". weibo.com. 25 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Inaugural launch - CZ-10B - HCSLS - April 5, 2026 (Reply #4)". nasaspaceflight.com. 30 January 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.