Long March 8
Rendering of Long March 8 Y1 | |
| Function | Orbital launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height |
|
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Mass |
|
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to SSO 700 km | |
| Mass |
|
| Payload to LEO | |
| Mass | 8,100 kg (17,900 lb) |
| Payload to GTO | |
| Mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) |
| Payload to TLI | |
| Mass | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | Soyuz-2 Antares Falcon 9 (RTLS reusable) Atlas V 501 Ariane 62 H3-30 |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang LC-2 Wenchang Commercial LC-1 |
| Total launches | 5 (8:4, 8A:1) |
| Success(es) | 5 (8:4, 8A:1) |
| First flight | 22 December 2020 |
| Last flight | 11 March 2025 |
| Boosters (Standard) – K2 booster | |
| No. boosters | 2 or 0 |
| Height | 26.903 m (88.26 ft) |
| Diameter | 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in) |
| Powered by | 1 YF-100 |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 1,200 kN (270,000 lbf) Vacuum: 1,340 kN (300,000 lbf) |
| Total thrust | Sea level: 4,800 kN (1,100,000 lbf) Vacuum: 5,360 kN (1,200,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| First stage – K3 core module | |
| Height | 25.083 m (82.29 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Powered by | 2 YF-100 |
| Maximum thrust | Sea level: 2,400 kN (540,000 lbf) Vacuum: 2,680 kN (600,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | Sea level: 300 s (2.9 km/s) Vacuum: 335 s (3.29 km/s) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage (CZ-8) | |
| Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.0 m (9.8 ft) |
| Powered by | 2 YF-75 |
| Maximum thrust | 167.17 kN (37,580 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 438 s (4.30 km/s) |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
| Second stage (CZ-8A) | |
| Height | 12.375 m (40.60 ft) |
| Diameter | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Powered by | 2 YF-75H |
| Maximum thrust | 200 kN (45,000 lbf) |
| Specific impulse | 442.6 s (4.340 km/s) |
| Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
Long March 8 (Chinese: 长征八号运载火箭) is an orbital launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch up to 5000 kg to a 700 km altitude Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The rocket is based on the Long March 7 with its first stage and two boosters, along with the existing liquid hydrogen burning third stage of the Long March 3A/3B/3C and 7A as its second stage. The boosters are omitted in the "core only" variant that first flew on its second launch in February 2022.
A planned future launch vehicle variant of the Long March 8 will be partially reusable by featuring a combined booster recovery of the first stage and the boosters as a single unit.
The maiden flight of the Long March 8 was launched on 22 December 2020 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site.