China Launches Rocket Competitor to SpaceX's Falcon 9 for the First Time

China has taken a significant step in its commercial space ambitions with the maiden flight of its Long March 12B rocket on Monday, June 1, 2026. This launch is a key part of the nation's strategy to develop reusable rockets for its burgeoning national internet satellite network.

The 72-meter-tall rocket ascended from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone in Inner Mongolia at 4:40 PM local time. Its payload consisted of the 10th batch of Qianfan, or 'Thousand Sails,' satellites destined for low Earth orbit. The launch has garnered international attention, particularly due to reports suggesting it proceeded without the usual advance safety warnings.

Live Science reported that China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the state-owned manufacturer, only announced the launch after the rocket was already airborne. While the rocket was visible on the launchpad beforehand, no airspace or maritime warnings were issued prior to liftoff. Internationally, such notifications are standard practice to alert aircraft and vessels of potential launch hazards, including falling debris. However, analysts have noted that China's space activities do not always adhere to these international norms.

The Long March 12B is designed as a reusable commercial rocket, intended to support China's large-scale internet satellite constellation, a project positioned as a rival to SpaceX's Starlink. Although this initial launch did not include a test of the rocket's recovery system, CASIC plans to conduct first-stage recovery tests on subsequent missions. The rocket succeeds the Long March 12A and boasts a payload capacity of approximately 22 tons to low Earth orbit. This development underscores the intensifying space race between China and the United States, both nations pursuing ambitious lunar presence goals in the coming years.