5 June 2026 year Fr. 06:34 (UTC) from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, China, using a launch vehicle «Long March 8» 18 Chinese space vehicles were launched «G60 Polar Group 12».
«G60 Polar Group 12» – is a group of 18 communication satellites in low Earth orbit with a payload in the Ku bands, Q and V for grouping «G60 (QUIAFAN)», which are operated by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology (SSST). The group is positioned as an analogue of the Starlink group. The initial grouping will consist of 1296 satellites to 2027 year with long-term plans to expand it to 12000 satellites.
At the moment, the grouping «G60 (QUIAFAN)» is 164 KA. This launch will expand the CA grouping «G60 (QUIAFAN)» will on 18 KA.
«Long March 8» — a Chinese launch vehicle of the Long March family, Developed by the Chinese Academy of Technology of Rockets (CALT) to launch a payload weighing up to 5000 kg into sun-synchronous orbit to 700 km. The rocket is made according to a two-stage scheme. The first stage is a central block with a diameter 3,35 m with two side accelerators in diameter 2,25 city (in the light version, accelerators may be absent). They all run on kerosene and liquid oxygen. The second degree, unified with the third stage of the Long March 3A rocket family, works on liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
In the future, it is planned to create a partially reusable version of the Long March launch vehicle 8 due to the combined recovery of the first stage and boosters as a single unit with a vertical landing.
According to the CCS