China's Long March-12B rocket completes successful maiden flight

China on Monday successfully launched the Long March-12B Y1 carrier rocket into space from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China.

The rocket blasted off at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time), sending a group of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation into their preset orbits. The mission was declared a complete success.

The mission was the maiden flight of the Long March-12B rocket, and marked the 647th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. 

A Long March-12B Y1 carrier rocket blasts off from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, on June 1, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time), sending a group of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation into their preset orbits. (Photo by Li Yunxi/Xinhua)

A Long March-12B Y1 carrier rocket blasts off from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, on June 1, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time), sending a group of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation into their preset orbits. (Photo by Li Yunxi/Xinhua)

A Long March-12B Y1 carrier rocket blasts off from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, on June 1, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time), sending a group of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation into their preset orbits. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua)

A Long March-12B Y1 carrier rocket blasts off from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China, on June 1, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 4:40 p.m. (Beijing Time), sending a group of networking satellites for the Qianfan Constellation into their preset orbits. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua)