China Launches Improved Long March 8A Rocket With 40% Increased Payload Capacity for the First Time — It Will Help Create a Starlink Competitor

On February 11, 2025, at 17:30 Beijing time (12:30 Moscow time), China launched the upgraded version of the Long March 8A launch vehicle for the first time. The rocket launched a batch of internet satellites into low-Earth orbit, becoming a new tool in the family of Chinese launch vehicles for solving a wide range of tasks.

Image Source: VCG

The Long March 8A has a payload capacity of 7 tons to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. For comparison, the basic version of Long March 8 can deliver 5 tons of payload to the SSO and 3 tons in the minimum configuration with boosters. The increased payload capacity of the new modification is achieved due to the improved second (booster) stage. The first stage and side boosters remained unchanged, but the second stage has undergone significant modifications.

The diameter of the second stage of the Long March 8A has been increased from 3 to 3.35 meters. In addition, the liquid engine, which runs on oxygen and hydrogen, has been modernized. Numerous components and assemblies of the stage, as well as the electronics, have been improved. In addition, the rocket has received an enlarged fairing, which will allow it to accommodate a larger payload. The cargo attachment truss has also been optimized, while its weight has been reduced by 200 kg, which is critical for increasing the efficiency of delivery to orbit.

The fairing of the increased volume has a diameter of 5.2 meters, which was used during the debut launch of the rocket. If necessary, a fairing with a diameter of 4.2 meters can be installed on the carrier. Thus, “Changzheng-8A” expands China’s capabilities in the field of orbital logistics.

The rocket’s developers note that it was created primarily for the accelerated deployment of satellite Internet groups in low and medium near-Earth orbits. The first launch confirmed this: all delivered satellites were successfully launched into the designated orbits. In 2025, it is planned to launch 10 Long March-8 rockets, of which 5–6 will be the Long March-8A modification.