Long March 10B (CZ-10B, Chinese: 长征十号乙) is an under-development, two-stage, medium-lift partially recoverable launch vehicle with a first-stage powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen and a second-stage powered by liquid methane and liquid oxygen. It is the third in the Long March 10 series of rockets and is derived using technologies developed for the Long March 10A. It will be operated by Chinarocket Co, Ltd, the commercial arm of CALT.

The first test launch of the rocket is anticipated to occur in the first-half of 2026.

Overview

In December 2025, a representative from the commercial arm of CALT (Chinarocket Co., Ltd.) presented plans for a commercial variant of the Long March 10A during the Wenchang International Aviation and Aerospace Forum 2025. This new variant, the Long March 10B, will have a payload capacity of at least 16 tonnes, likely in a reusable mode, to a 200 km low Earth orbit, and at least 11 tonnes to a 900 km orbit at 50 degrees orbital inclination.

The new CZ-10B inherits the first stage of the Long March 10A but reportedly will use a more powerful second stage that employs methane and liquid oxygen as fuel and oxidizer respectively. The Long March 10B is anticipated to have a debut launch during the first half of 2026. There may also be an additional commercial variant tentatively named the Long March 10C. The first stage of the CZ-10B, just as the CZ-10A variant, will be recoverable via a "wire recovery apparatus" located on a recovery vessel after launch from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan island (the first-stage of the rocket is equipped with hooks that will catch the wire-network on the recovery ship; the tensioned wires are carried by rail-mounted dollies which automatically position themselves to optimize the likelihood that the rocket will successfully "catch" the wires).

Launches

First launch

The first launch of the CZ-10B is scheduled for no earlier than 28 April 2026; a first stage booster recovery attempt may also occur for this launch.

Flight No.RocketSerial No.Date/Time (UTC)PayloadOrbitLaunch siteOutcomeBooster Recovery
1CZ-10BX1NET 28 April 2026TBALEOWenchang Commercial Space Launch SitePlannedPlanned
Debut orbital flight of CZ-10B, a partially reusable, cargo-optimized variant of the CZ-10 series for launching China's Satellite Internet megaconstellation.

See also