China’s Long March 10B rocket, which first flew on June 23, 2024, remains on course to begin operational missions in 2025, developer China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has disclosed. The two-stage, medium-lift partially reusable vehicle is set to assume a central role in servicing the Tiangong space station, a facility that has been fully operational since the addition of the Mengtian laboratory module in November 2022.
With a mass of 100 metric tons, Tiangong depends on regular cargo deliveries via Tianzhou spacecraft, which have historically launched atop the Long March 7. CASC has indicated that the Long March 10B could replace the Long March 7 for some of those cargo missions, a shift that would reduce costs for station resupply. The station, which began hosting permanent crews in 2021, requires steady logistic support, and a cheaper, reusable launcher would allow more frequent flights and lessen reliance on the existing Long March 7 fleet.
Test Campaign and Commercial Ambitions
CASC plans to conduct at least three additional test flights of the Long March 10B in 2024, including a night launch and a mission carrying a commercial satellite payload. The rocket’s reusability is a key design feature; the company aims to ramp up launch frequency to as many as 20 flights per year by 2026, while non-reusable variants of the same vehicle would achieve roughly 10 launches annually.
Beyond station resupply, CASC intends to use the Long March 10B for commercial satellite launches, specifically targeting the global small satellite market. The company expects the reusable design to drive down per-launch costs and increase cadence, opening new opportunities beyond state missions. A crewed variant of the rocket, designated the Long March 10A, is under development for use with the Mengzhou spacecraft.
CASC has set a target for the first crewed flight in 2027. The Long March 10B will also support China’s planned International Lunar Research Station (ILRS); a lunar cargo variant of the rocket is currently under study.
The timeline for the Long March 10B’s entry into service, combined with the planned increase in launch frequency, signals an acceleration in China’s space logistics capabilities.
Development Context and Significance
The Long March 10B is built by China Rocket, a commercial subsidiary within CASC, and belongs to the broader Long March 10 family—a series derived from technologies developed for the crew-rated Long March 10A. The vehicle was shaped in part to gather flight data and prove recovery methods for its larger sibling.
Its maiden flight took place from a coastal commercial site and returned its booster intact. The rocket’s design emphasizes reusability, which could lower per-flight costs and raise cadence for both cargo runs and small-satellite deployments. The Long March 10B matters now because it directly links China’s station logistics with a growing commercial launch sector.
By potentially replacing the Long March 7 for some Tiangong resupply missions, it offers a path to more frequent and economical cargo deliveries. Additionally, the engineering and experience gained from the Long March 10B will feed into later crewed lunar ambitions through shared technologies.
As CASC pushes toward higher launch rates and lower costs, the rocket represents a key step in expanding China’s presence in low Earth orbit and beyond, while also serving commercial customers worldwide.
Sources
- China Successfully Tests Reusable Long March-10B – Universe Today
- Friends of NASA: China Long March 10B Reusable Rocket Launch…
