Long March 10B facts for kids
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| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 70.2 m (230 ft) |
| Diameter | 5 m (16 ft 5 in) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) |
| Payload to LEO | 11,000 kg (24,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable |
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| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang Commercial |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Successes | 1 |
| First flight | 10 July 2026 |
| First stage | |
| Engines | 7 × YF-100K |
| Thrust | SL: 8,750 kN (1,970,000 lbf) vac: 9,772 kN (2,197,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | SL: 301.6 s (2.958 km/s) vac: 337 s (3.30 km/s) |
| Burn time | 227 seconds |
| Fuel | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Engines | 1 × YF-219 |
| Fuel | CH4 / LOX |
The Long March 10B (also known as 长征十号乙 in Chinese) is a powerful rocket from China. It has two main parts, called stages. The first stage uses a special fuel called kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second stage uses liquid methane and liquid oxygen. This rocket is designed to be partly reusable, which means some of its parts can be used again after a launch.
It is part of the Long March 10 family of rockets. It uses ideas and technology from the Long March 10A rocket. A company called Chinarocket Co, Ltd, which is part of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), operates this rocket.
The Long March 10B had its first flight on July 10, 2026. It launched from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site. This launch was a big success! The rocket's first stage was recovered, meaning it landed safely and can be used again. This was the first time China successfully recovered a rocket booster after an orbital launch. It also made China the second country, after the United States, to achieve this amazing feat. What's more, the Long March 10B was the first rocket ever to be recovered using a special net system.
Contents
What is the Long March 10B Rocket?
In December 2025, a company called Chinarocket Co., Ltd. shared exciting plans for a new rocket. This rocket, the Long March 10B, can carry heavy payloads into space. It can lift at least 16,000 kilograms (about 35,000 pounds) to a low Earth orbit 200 kilometers high. It can also carry 11,000 kilograms (about 24,000 pounds) to a higher orbit of 900 kilometers.
In July 2026, an expert named Qian Hang from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) called the CZ-10B the "younger sibling" of the CZ-10A rocket. The CZ-10A is designed to carry astronauts into space. The CZ-10B helps test new ideas and collect flight information for the CZ-10A. This makes the CZ-10A safer and more reliable for human space travel.
The 10B also tests how to recover and reuse the 10A rocket's first stage. The CZ-10B can even reuse first stages from CZ-10A missions. It can lift more weight than the CZ-10A. This is because it has a stronger second stage that uses liquid methane. The CZ-10B is mainly used for launching satellites for businesses and other commercial space projects.
How the Long March 10B is Built
The CZ-10B uses the same first stage as the Long March 10A. However, it has a stronger second stage that burns methane and liquid oxygen. The Long March 10B's first launch was on July 10, 2026. There might also be another version called the Long March 10C in the future.
The first stage of the CZ-10B can be recovered after launch. It uses a special "wire recovery system" on a ship near Hainan island. The rocket's first stage has hooks that catch a strong net of wires on the recovery ship. These wires are moved by special carts to help the rocket land safely.
Rocket Launches and Recoveries
The first launch of the CZ-10B happened on July 10, 2026, at 4:15 AM (UTC). It successfully put a satellite into its planned orbit. During this launch, the first-stage booster was recovered using the LingHangZhe (Navigator) ship. This recovery was also successful.
This achievement makes the CZ-10B the sixth rocket system in the world to recover its first stage during an orbital launch. Other systems include the Space Shuttle (1981), Falcon 9 (2015), Electron (2020), Starship (2024), and New Glenn (2025). The CZ-10B is the first system in China to recover a first stage. It is also the first outside of the United States to do so. It is also special because it succeeded in recovering its first-stage booster on its very first attempt!
The recovered first stage from this first flight is planned to be used again for the second mission. This next launch is expected no earlier than 2026.
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
