Long March 12 Launch: Time & How to Watch (Aug 17, 2026)

What is launching?

A Long March 12 rocket is scheduled to launch an undisclosed payload from the Commercial LC-2 pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China on August 17, 2026, at 02:00 UTC. The Long March 12 is a two-stage, kerosene-and-liquid-oxygen medium-lift rocket operated by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), and this mission is currently listed as to be confirmed (TBC).

The Long March 12 is China's first 3.8-meter-diameter rocket and one of the most powerful members of the Long March family to debut from the country's newly built commercial launch complex. It made its maiden flight in November 2024, marking a shift toward higher-cadence commercial operations at Wenchang.

When is the launch?

The launch is targeted for 02:00 UTC on August 17, 2026. Because the mission carries a TBC status, the exact time and even the date may shift as Chinese authorities confirm final details — Chinese launches are frequently announced with limited advance notice.

Where is it launching from?

The rocket lifts off from Commercial Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island. Wenchang is China's southernmost spaceport, located at roughly 19 degrees north latitude — its proximity to the equator gives launches an extra boost in payload capacity to orbit compared with China's inland sites. The commercial pads at Wenchang were built specifically to increase China's launch cadence and support the country's expanding low Earth orbit satellite constellations.

What is the payload?

The payload for this mission has not been officially disclosed. Long March 12 flights have been associated with deploying satellites into low Earth orbit, and China is actively building out large broadband megaconstellations such as Guowang and Qianfan, which together are planned to include tens of thousands of satellites. Cosmik will update this article once CASC confirms the payload and orbit details.

How to watch the launch live

Chinese state launches are not always streamed live in advance, and coverage is often released after liftoff. When a webcast becomes available, it typically appears through Chinese state media channels. In the meantime, you can follow the countdown and see the rocket's projected trajectory on Cosmik's rocket launch schedule.

To watch the mission unfold in context, open Cosmik's live 3D map of the solar system and satellites, where you can track objects in orbit in real time. If the payload deploys into low Earth orbit, you'll be able to follow the new satellites as they spread across their orbital planes.

About the Long March 12 rocket

The Long March 12 stands about 62 meters tall and is powered by liquid-propellant engines burning kerosene and liquid oxygen. It is designed to deliver payloads of up to roughly 12,000 kg to low Earth orbit and around 6,000 kg to a 700 km sun-synchronous orbit, making it a versatile workhorse for constellation deployment. Its debut flight from Wenchang in late 2024 opened a new chapter for China's commercial launch infrastructure.

For more on China's growing launch activity and other upcoming missions, browse the latest launch news on Cosmik, and see how new satellites join the thousands already in orbit on our satellite tracking guide.

Sources and further reading

• Long March 12 (Wikipedia)
• Wenchang Space Launch Site (Wikipedia)
• The Space Devs Launch Library (data source)

Follow the launch live on Cosmik

Don't miss liftoff — follow this Long March 12 mission live on Cosmik's launch tracker and enable free launch alerts so you're notified the moment the countdown updates. Then watch the payload join the sky on our real-time 3D map.