Long March 5: China's Heavy-Lift Workhorse, Explained
Long March 5 is China's most powerful operational rocket — the vehicle that launched Tiangong space station modules and the Tianwen Mars mission. Here's how it works.
Long March 5 (CZ-5, Chángzhēng-5) is China's most powerful operational rocket. It launches the heaviest Chinese payloads to LEO, GTO, and beyond — including all three modules of the Tiangong space station and the Tianwen-1 Mars mission.
Long March 5 specifications
- Height
- 57 m (187 ft)
- Diameter (core)
- 5 m
- Core engines
- 2 YF-77 (LH2/LOX)
- Liquid boosters
- 4 × 3.35 m, each with 2 YF-100 (RP-1/LOX)
- Payload to LEO
- ~25,000 kg
- Payload to GTO
- ~14,000 kg
- Payload to TLI
- ~8,200 kg
Variants
- Long March 5 — full two-stage configuration with hydrogen upper stage
- Long March 5B — single-stage-to-orbit with no upper stage, used for Tiangong modules
- Long March 5DY — under development for crewed lunar missions
Notable missions
- Chang'e 5 — lunar sample-return (December 2020)
- Tianwen-1 — Mars orbiter, lander, and Zhurong rover (July 2020)
- Tiangong space station Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian modules
- Chang'e 6 — far-side lunar sample-return (May 2024)
Frequently asked questions
Is Long March 5 reusable?
No, Long March 5 is fully expendable. China is developing reusable rocket technology under the Long March 9 and other programs.
How does Long March 5 compare to Falcon Heavy?
Falcon Heavy has more LEO payload capacity (about 64 t expendable vs ~25 t for Long March 5).
What is Long March 5B?
A single-stage variant of Long March 5 used to launch the Tiangong space station modules to LEO.
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