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Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa. Details recorded here should be sourced; unknown information is left blank.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
 Rendering of a Long March 12 | |
| Function | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology |
| Country of origin | China |
| Size | |
| Height | 62 m (203 ft 5 in) |
| Diameter | 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) |
| Mass | 433 t (954,602 lb) |
| Stages | 2 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 200 km (120 mi) |
| Mass | 12,000 kg (26,000 lb) |
| Payload to LEO | |
| Altitude | 300 km (190 mi) |
| Mass | 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) |
| Payload to SSO | |
| Altitude | 700 km (430 mi) |
| Mass | 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Family | Long March |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 |
| Total launches | 9 |
| Success(es) | 9 |
| First flight | 30 November 2024 |
| Last flight | 9 October 2026 (most recent) |
| First stage | |
| Powered by | 4 × YF-100K |
| Maximum thrust | 5,000 kN (1,100,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX |
| Second stage | |
| Powered by | 2 × YF-115 |
| Maximum thrust | 360 kN (81,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | RP-1 / LOX[1] |
The Long March 12 (LM-12, Chinese: 长征十二号运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12, CZ-12) is a Chinese kerolox medium-lift launch vehicle manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Capable of placing at least 12 tonnes (26,000 lb) of payload in low Earth orbit (LEO) and at least 6 tonnes (13,000 lb) in a 700 kilometres (430 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit, it first launched in November 2024, from Wenchang Space Launch Site.[2][3]
The CZ-12 has flown six launches up to June 2026, all to LEO with a Guowang satellite internet constellation payload. Its first stage is powered by four YF-100K engines while its second stage is powered by two YF-115 engines. It is more economical than the medium-lift/heavy-lift Long March 7, which was designed to become human-rated.[4]
There are also two reusable versions of the rocket, Long March 12A and Long March 12B. The CZ-12A variant first flew in December 2025; it successfully reached orbit although the initial first-stage recovery attempt was not successful.[5][6] The CZ-12B, a commercially-oriented variant, first flew in June 2026; first stage recovery was not attempted.
On 26 February 2024, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) released its annual "Blue Book" which detailed the company's launch plans for the coming year; one of the projects revealed in the Blue Book is the new Long March 12 medium-lift rocket.[2] Long March 12 (CZ-12) is designed as a two-stage rocket: its first stage is powered by four YF-100K 1250 KN engines using RP-1 and liquid oxygen while its second stage is powered by two YF-115 180 kN engines also using RP-1/LOX. The rocket offers two payload fairing choices, one with a diameter of 5.2 metres and another with a diameter of 4.2 metres.[7]
CZ-12 has a stage diameter of 3.8 metres, a first for China. It is launched from the new commercial launch site located at China's coastal spaceport in Wenchang.[8]
The maiden launch of the new rocket occurred at 14:25 UTC on 30 November 2024 from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Site. There were two payloads on the launch: the “Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellite” and the “Technology Test Satellite-3”. Notably, this launch featured the new YF-100K rocket engine in its initial orbital launch attempt; the engine is a critical component of the under-development superheavy-lift Long March 10 lunar rocket. In addition, the maiden launch of the CZ-12 also constitutes the debut launch from the new Hainan commercial launch site.[3]
SAST introduced a variant with a reusable first stage, the Long March 12A (CZ-12A), on 23 December 2025. The initial attempt to recover the first stage of the new rocket during its December 2025 first flight was not successful although the rocket successfully placed a mass simulator in orbit. The CZ-12A employs rocket engines based on methane for fuel and liquid-oxygen for the fuel's oxidizer; the CZ-12A's methane-based first-stage engines are built by commercial providers.[5] Despite the different fuel, it has the same 3.8 m diameter as the CZ-12.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. (CACL) is also developing a more powerful variant of the CZ-12A carrier rocket, currently known as the Long March 12B.[5][9] CACL is an R&D and operations oriented commercial joint venture that appears to operate under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
CZ-12B has a 4.37 m diameter (in contrast to the 3.8 m diameter of both CZ-12 and CZ-12A). A static fire test of the CZ-12B first stage took place on 16 January 2026 at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone within the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, northwest China.[9] Its first launch occurred on 1 June 2026.
CZ-12 only, not including CZ-12A or CZ-12B.
| Flight Number | Serial number | Date/Time (UTC) | Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Y1 | 30 November 2024 14:25 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang Jishu Shiyan 5A JSW-03 |
LEO | Success | Maiden flight of Long March 12. - First flight of YF-100K engines. - First launch from WC-LC-2 |
| 2 | Y2 | 4 August 2025 10:21 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 07) | LEO | Success | |
| 3 | Y3 | 10 November 2025 02:41 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 13) | LEO | Success | |
| 4 | Y4 | 11 December 2025 23:00 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 16) | LEO | Success | |
| 5 | Y5 | 19 January 2026 07:48 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Hulianwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 19) | LEO | Success | |
| 6 | Y7 | 17 June 2026 02:44 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 22) | LEO | Success | |
| 7 | Y8 | 16 August 2026 04:10 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 24) | LEO | Success | |
| 8 | Y9 | 17 September 2026 00:32 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 25) | LEO | Success | |
| 9 | Y10 | 9 October 2026 19:27 |
Wenchang Commercial, LC-2 | Huliangwang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 27) | LEO | Success |
| Rockets |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch sites | ||
| Manufacturers | ||
| Designers | ||
Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
The Long March 12 (LM-12, Chinese: 长征十二号运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12, CZ-12) is a Chinese kerolox medium-lift launch vehicle manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology. Capable of placing at least 12 tonnes (26,000 lb) of payload in low Earth orbit (LEO) and at least 6 tonnes (13,000 lb) in a 700 kilometres (430 mi) Sun-synchronous orbit, it first launched in November 2024, from Wenchang Space Launch Site. The CZ-12 has flown six launches up to June 2026, all to LEO with a Guowang satellite internet constellation payload. Its first stage is powered by four YF-100K engines while its second stage is powered by two YF-115 engines. It is more economical than the medium-lift/heavy-lift Long March 7, which was designed to become human-rated. There are also two reusable versions of the rocket, Long March 12A and Long March 12B. The CZ-12A variant first flew in December 2025; it successfully reached orbit although the initial first-stage recovery attempt was not successful. The CZ-12B, a commercially-oriented variant, first flew in June 2026; first stage recovery was not attempted.
The Long March 12B (Chinese: 长征十二号乙运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12B, abbreviated LM-12B or CZ-12B), is a Chinese two-stage reusable medium-lift to heavy-lift launch vehicle, a commercially-oriented variant of the Long March 12. Its maiden flight in June 2026, from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, was successful, while booster recovery was not attempted. Both CZ-12B stages are kerolox-fuelled and four meters in diameter. The first stage, powered by nine YF-102R engines, is designed to be reused after stage-recovery via propulsive landing. The second stage is powered by a single YF-102RV engine. The rocket is being developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Commercial Rocket Co., Ltd. (CACL), operating under the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
The Long March 12A (Chinese: 长征十二号甲运载火箭; pinyin: Chang Zheng 12A, abbreviated LM-12A or CZ-12A), is a Chinese reusable medium-lift launch vehicle carrier rocket. The rocket has two stages and its first stage is designed to be reused after stage-recovery via propulsive landing. Both stages of the rocket will use methane (CH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) for propulsion. The rocket is manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). The first flight occurred on 23 December 2025 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with a successful orbital launch, but the first-stage recovery was unsuccessful.
Long March 9 (Chinese: 长征九号火箭, romanized: Chángzhēng jiǔ hào, LM-9 or Changzheng 9, CZ-9) is a partially reusable super-heavy lift rocket under development by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology to launch from Wenchang Space Launch Site. It is the largest proposed member of the Long March rocket family. The most recent 2023 proposal calls for a three-stage rocket with a 10.6 meter diameter. The reusable first stage would use a cluster of 30 YF-215 methalox engines, with long term plans to make the second stage reusable; these features and previous designs have drawn comparisons to SpaceX Starship. The third stage may use YF-79 or YF-91 hydrolox engines. Current plans call for the Long March 9 to have a maximum payload capacity of 150,000 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) and 54,000 kg to trans-lunar injection. Its first flight is planned for 2033, in anticipation of an increase in cadence by China's crewed lunar missions during the 2030s and the construction of the International Lunar Research Station with 12 other countries. The smaller under-development Long March 10 rocket is intended for initial crewed landings. The Chinese space program has also proposed CZ-9 launches for crewed missions to Mars and space-based solar power and data centers. It was initially proposed to carry the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission in a single launch; in 2022 this mission plan was revised to dual launches in 2028 using the Long March 5.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
