Long March 12
 Rendering of a Long March 12 | |
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 62 m (203 ft 5 in) |
| Diameter | 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Mass | 433 t (954,602 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Mass | 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 300 km (190 mi) |
| Mass | 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 700 km (430 mi) |
| Mass | 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 |
| Total launches | 7 |
| Success(es) | 7 |
| First flight | 30 November 2024 |
| Last flight | 16 August 2026 (most recent) |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 4 × YF-100K |
| Maximum thrust | 5,000 kN (1,100,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 2 × YF-115 |
| Maximum thrust | 360 kN (81,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
The Long March 12 (LM-12, Chinese: 长征十二号运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12, CZ-12) is a Chinese kerolox medium-lift launch vehicle manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Capable of placing at least 12 tonnes (26,000 lb) of payload in low Earth orbit (LEO) and at least 6 tonnes (13,000 lb) in a 700 kilometres (430 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit, it first launched in November 2024, from Wenchang Space Launch Site.
The CZ-12 has flown six launches up to June 2026, all to LEO with a Guowang satellite internet constellation payload. Its first stage is powered by four YF-100K engines while its second stage is powered by two YF-115 engines. It is more economical than the medium-lift/heavy-lift Long March 7, which was designed to become human-rated.
There are also two reusable versions of the rocket, Long March 12A and Long March 12B. The CZ-12A variant first flew in December 2025; it successfully reached orbit although the initial first-stage recovery attempt was not successful. The CZ-12B, a commercially-oriented variant, first flew in June 2026; first stage recovery was not attempted.