Long March 8 Launches Qianfan Constellation Batch 7 with 18 Satellites
Summary: At 21:32 UTC on April 7, 2026, a Long March 8 launch vehicle lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site carrying 18 satellites for the Qianfan (千帆) LEO satellite internet constellation. The launch was declared a complete success, marking another milestone in China's ambitious satellite internet program.
Credit: CNSA
Launch Details
At 21:32 UTC on April 7, 2026 (05:32 Beijing time), a Long March 8 launch vehicle departed from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site carrying the seventh batch of 18 satellites for China's Qianfan (千帆) low-Earth-orbit satellite internet constellation. All satellites were successfully deployed to their preset orbits and the launch was declared a complete success.
The Qianfan Constellation — also known as the Qianfan LEO Satellite Internet Constellation — is a domestically developed global satellite internet system planned to deploy over 15,000 satellites. It represents one of China's core programs in the satellite internet sector.
Qianfan Constellation Development
The Qianfan Constellation follows a batch-production and batch-launch development model. Since initiating network deployment in 2024, the constellation has successfully completed seven launch campaigns, with the number of operational satellites steadily increasing. Once fully deployed, the constellation will provide global coverage and support the scaled commercial operation of China's satellite internet industry.