Private Chinese Rocket Deploys 10 Qianfan Satellites to Orbit

A Zhuque-2 Modified carrier rocket operated by private Chinese firm LandSpace successfully launched 10 satellites for the Qianfan megaconstellation on September 15, 2026. Lifting off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Pilot Zone, the liquid oxygen-methane launcher placed Shanghai Spacesail Technology's satellites into their planned orbits. The mission represents the first time a Chinese commercial aerospace enterprise has conducted a multi-satellite deployment for a major domestic constellation, signaling a practical shift from experimental test flights toward regular commercial operations.

This successful deployment integrates China's commercial launch sector into the supply chain for state-backed satellite internet megaconstellations. Historically, Chinese constellation deployment relied exclusively on state-owned Long March vehicles. By demonstrating multi-satellite stacking, separation, and orbital injection capabilities, private launch companies can expand launch capacity, relieve bottlenecks in national orbital infrastructure plans, and accelerate cost reductions across the domestic space sector.

A Zhuque-2 Modified carrier rocket developed by Chinese private space company LandSpace successfully deployed 10 Qianfan internet satellites into low Earth orbit on September 15, 2026. The rocket lifted off at 2:26 p.m. from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Pilot Zone, according to reports by state-run Xinhua News Agency and National Business Daily. The payload comprised the 19th batch of polar-orbit satellites for Shanghai Spacesail Technology Co., which is developing the Qianfan constellation. The mission marked the first time a private Chinese commercial launch firm has executed a deployment mission for a large-scale satellite internet megaconstellation, moving the private space ecosystem beyond standalone technology demonstration flights. The launch was the ninth flight of the Zhuque-2 vehicle series. Unlike typical single-satellite missions, deploying multiple constellation satellites required integrated engineering coordination across multi-satellite dispensers, coordinated separation dynamics, orbital insertion control, and upper-stage passivation, explained Ma Haijing, general manager of LandSpace's marketing department. The flight also demonstrated the operational cadence of the Zhuque-2 Modified variant. The Yao-5 mission in May 2026 verified high-orbit insertion and design payload limits, while the Yao-6 vehicle flew just 26 days later to demonstrate rapid turnaround capabilities. The Yao-7 flight marks the rocket's transition into recurring commercial fleet deployment. The Zhuque-2 Modified is a two-stage, stretched cryogenic rocket fueled by liquid oxygen and methane, offering a maximum low Earth orbit payload capacity of 6 metric tons. It shares key technologies and propulsion systems with LandSpace's next-generation reusable Zhuque-3 rocket, which is designed to lift up to 18 tons to low Earth orbit in recovery mode. Both vehicles utilize Tianque-12A series engines on their first stages and Tianque-15A engines on their second stages, along with identical pneumatic inter-stage separation mechanisms. According to LandSpace, the shared hardware architecture allows technical validations from expendable Zhuque-2 flights to accelerate development of the reusable Zhuque-3, aiming to lower launch costs as commercial constellation operators scale their deployment schedules.