New TJSW Spacecraft Pair Blasts Off From Taiyuan [Long March 6A Y18]
The latest additions to China’s space communications technology demonstration fleet have brought it to low Earth orbit for the first time.
Out of the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center from Launch Complex 9A, a Long March 6A blasted off at 09:00 am China Standard Time (01:00 am Universal Coordinated Time) on July 30th, delivering two experimental spacecraft into a highly inclined low Earth orbit.
Those were TJSW-27A and TJSW-27B (通信技术试验卫星二十七号A/B星), known as Communication Technology Experimental Satellite-27A and 27B in English. Their development was split between the China Academy of Spaceflight Technology, which made 27A, and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, having produced 27B.
Like other members of the TJSW fleet, the new duo is expected to demonstrate innovations for multi-band, high-throughput communications technologies for radio, television, and data transmission. However, all previous members of the fleet have been conducting their demonstrations far beyond low Earth orbit, in either geostationary space or an elliptical, high-altitude loitering Molniya orbit.
TJSW-27A and TJSW-27B are the fifth spacecraft of their series to be launched this year, after 2025’s significant expansion. This year has previously seen TJSW-24 deployed in May, the large TJSW-25 delivered in early June, and the first of a likely subset in late June’s TJSW-26A.
After the deployment of the two satellites, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology stated that its launch teams are continuing to adhere strictly to pre-flight preparation and testing processes as the Long March 6A scales up its cadence. Efforts to do so has seen a broadening of parallel pre-flight work to prepare two separate launch missions, which should allow for one launch mission around every four weeks, or up to thirteen times per year.
Today’s launch was the 26th mission for the Long March 6A, the 272nd Long March vehicle from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, and the 660th launch of the Long March launch vehicle series. This was also the 53rd launch from China in 2026.
Liftoff video via 我们的太空 on WeChat, 央视新闻 on Weibo.
Check out the previous Long March 6A launch
Qianfan Grows Again With Thirteenth Deployment Via Taiyuan [Long March 6A]
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A Long March 6A blasted off from Launch Complex 9A at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center at 17:30 pm China Standard Time (09:30 am Universal Coordinated Time) on July 4th, heading for a near-po…
What is the Long March 6A?
This section is for those less familiar with China’s Long March series of launch vehicles.
The Long March 6A is the first new-generation launch vehicle in China to utilize a combination of solid and liquid propellants. This vehicle was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and utilizes a two-and-a-half-stage design, the boosters burn an unspecified solid propellant with the first and second stages burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
The payload capacity of the launch vehicle is currently as follows:
8,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit
4,500 kilograms to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit
The first-stage is powered by two YF-100 engines, generating a combined thrust of approximately 244 tons using rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The first-stage is augmented by four solid rocket boosters, each producing 124 tons of thrust from an unspecified solid propellant, resulting in a combined booster thrust of 492 tons. Together, the first-stage and boosters generate a total thrust of 736 tons. The second stage is powered by a single YF-115 engine, producing 18 tons of thrust also burning rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen.
On the launchpad, the Long March 6A is believed to be up to 52 meters tall, a handful of fairings are available, and weighs 530,000 kilograms when fully fuelled. The first and second stages of the vehicle have a diameter of 3.35 meters while the solid-fuelled boosters have a diameter of 2 meters, the fairing has a diameter of 4.2 meters.
So far, every Long March 6A has launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, in the north of Shanxi province.
