BEIJING, July 10 — The Long March 10B, which became the first Chinese orbital rocket to achieve first-stage recovery on June 23, 2024, represents a significant technical pivot for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the state-owned operator of the Long March rocket family. The milestone came after decades of expendable launches that began with the Long March 1, which sent China’s first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, into orbit on April 24, 1970.
According to the company’s historical data, the Long March family has conducted over 500 launches with a success rate of approximately 95%. The Long March 10B is named to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the series’ 100th launch, which occurred in 2021.
Reusability: A Mixed Record
CASC’s first attempt at a partially reusable design came with the Long March 8, first launched in 2020. That rocket was not recovered. The Long March 10B’s successful first-stage recovery in June 2024 thus marked the first time a Chinese orbital-class booster had been brought back.
The Long March 10B is a new variant within a family that includes the Long March 2 (first launched 1974), Long March 3 (1984), Long March 4 (1988), Long March 5 (2016), Long March 6 (2015), Long March 7 (2016), Long March 8 (2020), and Long March 11 (2015). The Long March 5 is the heavy-lift workhorse, capable of carrying 25,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit and used for lunar and Mars missions.
The Long March 7 is a medium-lift rocket used for cargo missions to the Tiangong space station. Figures show that CASC’s current heavy-lift capability, the Long March 5, is dwarfed by the planned Long March 9, a fully reusable heavy-lift rocket with a payload capacity of 150,000 kilograms to LEO. CASC has stated it aims to develop the Long March 9 by 2030.
Supply-Chain and Market Implications
For the global launch industry, the Long March family’s high flight rate—over 500 missions since 1970—has made CASC a dominant provider for domestic and select international payloads. The shift toward reusability, however, places CASC in a direct technological competition with established reusable systems from Western providers. The Long March 10B’s recovery, while a single data point, signals that CASC is now testing the same cost-reduction logic that has reshaped the commercial launch market.
The Long March 10B’s name, tied to the 100th launch anniversary, also reflects an internal marketing logic: CASC is branding its first recoverable orbital rocket as a commemorative vehicle rather than a clean-sheet design.
What to Watch Next
The key questions for CASC going forward are whether the Long March 10B’s recovered stage can be reused, and how quickly the company can scale that capability to the larger Long March 9. CASC has not announced a timeline for a fully reusable Long March 9 beyond its 2030 target. The Long March 8, which was designed as a partially reusable rocket but never recovered, suggests that the path from design to operational reuse is not straightforward.
The Long March 10B’s June 2024 flight may prove to be a turning point, but only if CASC follows it with repeated recoveries and eventual reflights.
