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Long March 12B Yao-1 Launch Vehicle Successfully Launched

长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭发射成功
PLA Daily (解放军报) 1 June 2026
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Summary
The Long March 12B Yao-1 made its maiden flight on June 1 from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone at Jiuquan, delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites and marking the 647th Long March series launch. This documents continued expansion of China's commercial launch vehicle inventory alongside the accelerating build-out of the Qianfan low-Earth orbit constellation, which is designed to provide broadband coverage competitive with Starlink and carries dual-use implications for PLA communications resilience.
First flight of the Long March 12B launch vehicle, a new variant in the Long March family, conducting its maiden mission from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone while advancing the Qianfan broadband constellation build-out.
Translation

At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success. Photo by Xinhua (Wang Jiangbo) Xinhua News Agency, Jiuquan, June 1 (Li Guoli, Wang Chenyu) — At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success.

This mission marked the Long March 12B launch vehicle's maiden flight and the 647th flight of the Long March series of launch vehicles.

At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success. Photo by Xinhua (Wang Jiangbo)

At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success. Photo by Xinhua (Wang Jiangbo)

At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success. Photo by Xinhua (Li Yunxi)

At 16:40 on June 1, the Long March 12B Yao-1 launch vehicle lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, successfully delivering the Qianfan polar orbit Group 08 satellites it carried into the designated orbit. The flight test mission was a complete success. Photo by Xinhua (Li Yunxi)

Original Chinese
6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。新华社发（汪江波 摄） 新华社酒泉6月1日电（李国利、王晨宇）6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。 这次任务是长征十二号乙运载火箭的首次飞行，长征系列运载火箭的第647次飞行。 6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。新华社发（汪江波 摄） 6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。新华社发（汪江波 摄） 6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。新华社发（李昀锡 摄） 6月1日16时40分，长征十二号乙遥一运载火箭在东风商业航天创新试验区发射升空，将搭载的千帆极轨08组卫星顺利送入预定轨道，飞行试验任务取得圆满成功。新华社发（李昀锡 摄）