Key Takeaways
- China reached a record 92 orbital launches in 2025, surpassing its previous record of 68 in 2024.
- The global space sector saw more than 320 orbital launch attempts in 2025, setting a new record for the fifth consecutive year.
- China’s launches were driven by its two megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan/Thousand Sails, as well as the expansion of its commercial spaceports.
- The country’s space program made significant progress in 2025, including hardware tests for its crewed lunar ambitions and the debut of new rockets.
- China’s launch cadence is expected to continue growing in 2026, with several new rockets set to debut and further milestones expected in its crewed lunar program.
Introduction to China’s Record-Breaking Launches
China has reached a record 92 orbital launches in 2025, capping a remarkable year for the country’s space program. The launches, which took place on December 29 and 30, saw the successful deployment of the Tianhui-7 remote sensing satellite and the Shijian-29 A and B satellites. This achievement marks a significant milestone for China, surpassing its previous record of 68 launches in 2024. The global space sector also saw a record number of orbital launch attempts in 2025, with more than 320 launches taking place throughout the year.
Details of the Tianhui-7 Launch
The Tianhui-7 satellite was launched on a Long March 4B rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The satellite is part of a remote sensing and mapping series, with its core payload designed to achieve world-class resolution and precision. The manufacturer, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), stated that the payload’s heat dissipation system was a critical design driver, linked directly to high-resolution imaging. The satellite was tracked in a roughly circular 485-kilometer-altitude sun-synchronous orbit.
Details of the Shijian-29 A and B Launch
The Shijian-29 A and B satellites were launched on a Long March 7A rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan. The satellites are described as being used mainly to conduct verification tests of new technologies for space target detection, which could refer to space situational awareness (SSA) purposes. Little is known about the satellites, as is typical for the Shijian series, which includes a diverse array of spacecraft used for various purposes. The pair are likely headed for geostationary transfer orbit, given the launch vehicle and airspace closure notices.
China’s 2025 Launch Record
The launches marked China’s 91st and 92nd orbital launch attempts of 2025, far surpassing its previous record. There were only two failures, seeing the loss of a Zhuque-2E methalox rocket and a Ceres-1 solid rocket. A big driver for China’s growing launch cadence was the country’s two megaconstellations, Guowang and Qianfan/Thousand Sails. The new Hainan commercial spaceport and the expansion of a commercial zone at Jiuquan spaceport also facilitated the growth in launches. Jiuquan hosted 33 launches, up from 21 last year, while Wenchang and Hainan accelerated from nine launches to 21.
New Rockets and Launch Service Providers
CASC claimed overall responsibility for 73 of the launches, with the rest performed by state-spinoffs Expace and CAS Space, and commercial launch service providers Galactic Energy, Landspace, iSpace, and Orienspace. Three new rockets had debut launches in 2025, namely the Long March 8A, Landspace’s Zhuque-3, and the Long March 12A. The latter two marked China’s first two attempts at recovering an orbital booster, although recovery attempts failed. Several other rockets were potentially set for 2025 debuts but have slipped into early 2026, including the Kinetica-2, Pallas-1, Tianlong-3, Hyperbola-3, and Nebula-1.
Progress in China’s Crewed Lunar Ambitions
One of the areas of major progress for China in 2025 was hardware tests for its crewed lunar ambitions, with further milestones expected imminently. The Long March 10A rocket is expected to debut in 2026, marking a significant step towards China’s goal of establishing a human presence on the Moon. The country’s space program has made significant strides in recent years, and its growing launch cadence and advancements in technology are expected to continue in 2026. With several new rockets set to debut and further milestones expected in its crewed lunar program, China is poised to remain a major player in the global space sector.
