Long March 3B/E Scheduled Launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
Summary: A Long March 3B/E rocket is scheduled to launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, circa June 21–22, 2026, with payload details yet to be disclosed.
According to the NextSpaceflight launch schedule, a Long March 3B/E (CZ-3B/E) launch vehicle is slated to lift off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center around June 21–22, 2026 (Beijing Time). The payload for this mission has not been publicly identified, and the exact launch window and target orbit parameters remain to be confirmed by official sources.
The Long March 3B/E is a heavy-lift, three-stage, liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), and serves as the workhorse of the Long March 3A rocket family. With a payload capacity of approximately 5,500 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO), it is primarily used for high-orbit communications satellites, navigation satellites, and deep-space missions. In December 2024, the CZ-3B completed its 100th orbital launch, making it one of the most-flown single rocket variants in China. Notably, the Long March 3B series has traditionally operated from Xichang Satellite Launch Center; a launch from Jiuquan is relatively uncommon and may be related to the expansion of facilities at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Just days earlier, on June 16, a Long March 3B successfully orbited the Shijian 31 (SJ-31) satellite from Xichang for space environment research. Scheduling another CZ-3B mission within the same week underscores the sustained high-cadence launch tempo of China's space program in 2026.