China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLong March 8Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
SpaceSail Polar Group #9
Launched
May 17, 2026 · 14:42 UTC
Image: 我们的太空
Summary
SpaceSail Polar Group #9 launched on a China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 8 from Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China on May 17, 2026 at 14:42 UTC. The launch window ran from 14:34 to 14:57 UTC. It was China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 590th launch, 20th this year and humanity's 7,286th orbital launch attempt. It was the 5th Long March 8 flight and the 2nd this year. The payload was bound for Polar Orbit (PO). The tracked orbit of Qianfan Xingzuo 09-01, one of 19 catalogued objects, from May 28, 2026, was 846 × 871 km inclined 89.0°. 19 objects from this launch are catalogued, 18 of them payloads.
- Watch
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Communications · Polar Orbit (PO)
- Milestone
- 5th Long March 8 flight · 2nd this yearChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's 590th launch20th this yearhumanity's 7,286th orbital launch attempt113th orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Qianfan Xingzuo 09-01 · NORAD 69104 · 2026-108 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 19 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 2026-108A
- Epoch
- 2026-05-28 20:05:51 UTC
- Mean motion
- 14.12368117 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0017461
- Inclination
- 89.0122°
- Ascending node
- 24.3758°
- Arg. of perigee
- 166.1307°
- Mean anomaly
- 194.0362°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 160
- B*
- -1.1162
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: PO.
Catalogued objects
19 catalogued: 18 payloads, 1 rocket stage; 19 still in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-01 · NORAD 69104 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-02 · NORAD 69105 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-03 · NORAD 69106 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-04 · NORAD 69107 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-05 · NORAD 69108 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-06 · NORAD 69109 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-07 · NORAD 69110 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-08 · NORAD 69111 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-09 · NORAD 69112 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-10 · NORAD 69113 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-11 · NORAD 69114 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-12 · NORAD 69115 · in orbit
Show 6 more payloads
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-13 · NORAD 69116 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-14 · NORAD 69117 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-15 · NORAD 69118 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-16 · NORAD 69119 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-17 · NORAD 69120 · in orbit
- Qianfan Xingzuo 09-18 · NORAD 69121 · in orbit
CZ-8 Y8 Stage 2 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with funding backed by the Shanghai local government. Initial constellation will consist of 1296 satellites by 2027 with long term plans to expand it to 12000 satellites.
Pad
Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
10th launch from Commercial LC-1, 4th this year · 61st from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
Local pad time at liftoff: May 17, 10:42 PM GMT+8, at night
14 launches from this pad · 75 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China
40 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of ChinaOpen in maps
Updates
Launch success.
Show 5 earlier updates
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/17/2026 · source
Unofficial Webcast by ThatSpaceDogeGuy has started
LL2 · 5/17/2026 · source
Tweaked T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/17/2026 · source
Updated possible payload identity (uncertain).
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/14/2026 · source
Added launch per NOTAMs; Payload and launch vehicle identities uncertain.
Cosmic_Penguin · 5/10/2026 · source
Questions
When did SpaceSail Polar Group #9 launch?
SpaceSail Polar Group #9 launched on May 17, 2026 at 14:42 UTC. The launch window ran from 14:34 to 14:57 UTC.
Where can I watch SpaceSail Polar Group #9?
Coverage: Watch Long March 8 Launch SpaceSail Polar Group 08 from Wenchang, LIVE!!. Watch the replay
What rocket launched SpaceSail Polar Group #9?
Long March 8, flown by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. Long March 8 spec sheet
Where did SpaceSail Polar Group #9 launch from?
Commercial LC-1, Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China. Liftoff was May 17, 10:42 PM GMT+8 local time at the pad.
What orbit did SpaceSail Polar Group #9 reach?
The tracked orbit of Qianfan Xingzuo 09-01, one of 19 catalogued objects, from May 28, 2026, was 846 × 871 km inclined 89.0°.
How many satellites did SpaceSail Polar Group #9 launch?
18 payloads from this launch are catalogued, 18 of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).