Long March – Spaceflight Now

Chinese astronaut launch breaks record for most people in orbit

May 30, 2023 Stephen Clark

The launch of the next crew to China’s Tiangong space station late Monday (U.S. time) added three astronauts to the population of humans in space, which reached a record number of 17 people in orbit — six Chinese citizens, five Americans, three Russians, two Saudis, and one Emirati astronaut.

Live coverage: China launches three-man crew to Tiangong space station

May 29, 2023 Stephen Clark

Three Chinese astronaut rocketed into orbit in pursuit of the Tiangong space station at 9:31 p.m. EDT Monday (0131 UTC Tuesday). The crew blasted off from the Jiuquan launch base in northwestern China on a Long March 2F rocket.

Three astronauts ready for ride to China’s space station

May 29, 2023 Stephen Clark

The next three-man crew to live on China’s Tiangong space station will launch Monday night on a Long March rocket, heading for a half-year expedition on the orbiting outpost to replace an outgoing team of astronauts set to return to Earth this weekend.

Chinese cargo ship launches to resupply space station

May 10, 2023 Stephen Clark

China’s space station received delivery of fresh supplies, experiments, and fuel after the launch of the Tianzhou 6 cargo ship Wednesday aboard a Long March 7 rocket.

Chinese Long March rocket launches oceanography satellite

May 19, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Long March 4B rocket successfully launched an oceanography satellite Wednesday from northwestern China, hours before officials at a different spaceport scrubbed the planned launch of a cargo ship to deliver supplies to the Chinese space station.

NASA chief criticizes China for uncontrolled rocket re-entry

May 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Saturday that China is failing to meet “responsible standards” on space debris after a massive Long March rocket stage fell back to Earth over the Indian Ocean in an uncontrolled re-entry that is likely to be repeated with additional launches next year.

Large Chinese rocket tumbling toward toward unguided re-entry this weekend

May 7, 2021 Stephen Clark

For the second time in a year, a large spent Chinese rocket stage intentionally left in orbit is heading for an unguided plunge back into Earth’s atmosphere Saturday or Sunday somewhere between 41.5 degrees north and south latitude.

China launches four satellites on Long March 2C rocket

May 6, 2021 Stephen Clark

Three Chinese military satellites and a civilian data relay payload launched Thursday aboard a Long March 2C rocket.

China launches military observation satellite

May 4, 2021 Stephen Clark

China launched an optical Earth observation satellite April 30, beginning a mission designed to provide detailed reconnaissance imagery to the Chinese military.

Chinese Long March 6 rocket delivers nine small satellites to space

April 30, 2021 Stephen Clark

Nine small Chinese satellites, including a technology experiment to test out ways to capture space debris, rode a Long March 6 rocket into orbit April 27 on a rideshare mission managed by China Great Wall Industry Corp., the government-owned enterprise charged with selling Chinese launch services on the commercial market.