Long March 8A

CZ-8A

Mission Profile

Long March 8A (CZ-8A) is a two-stage Chinese medium-lift launch vehicle and an upgraded variant of the Long March 8, featuring an enhanced core stage for improved performance without the solid rocket boosters of its predecessor. Standing 50.3 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 356,000 kg and generating 4,800 kN of thrust, it made its maiden flight in February 2025. Designed for cost-competitive commercial launch services and government satellite deployments to sun-synchronous and medium orbits, the Long March 8A reflects China's strategy of offering a modular family of liquid-fueled medium-class vehicles to serve the growing commercial small and medium satellite market with high launch cadence and reliable performance.