Long March 12A reaches orbit on maiden flight; booster landing fails

CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.)/Long March 12A

Long March 12A, developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) under CASC, successfully placed test satellites in orbit on December 23, 2025, but the first-stage booster crashed during its landing attempt. The mission validated the rocket's orbital capability and reusability concept, though landing recovery technology requires refinement.

• Long March 12A is China's first domestically designed reusable orbital launch vehicle.
• Both stages use methane and liquid oxygen propulsion for low cost and engine restart capability.
• First stage uses seven Longyun-70 engines manufactured by private company Jiuzhou Yunjian.
• Orbital insertion was successful; second stage placed test payloads in target orbits.
• Booster landing failed; second flight scheduled for October 2026 with another recovery attempt.