Lift-2 Maiden Flight Success: China's First CBC-Configuration Rocket Reaches Orbit
Summary: On March 30, 2026, at 19:00 Beijing time, CAS Space's Lift-2 (Yao-1) launch vehicle "International Textile Capital" successfully completed its maiden flight from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Area, precisely delivering three satellites — Xīnzhēngchéng-01, Xīnzhēngchéng-02 (Light Boat prototype spacecraft), and Tiānshì-01 — into their intended orbits. This is China's first launch vehicle utilizing a Common Booster Core (CBC) configuration, marking a new era of heavy-lift, low-cost, and reusable commercial spaceflight in China.
Vehicle Overview
The Lift-2, developed by CAS Space (中科宇航), is China's first Common Booster Core (CBC) configuration launch vehicle:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total length | 53 m |
| Core stage diameter | 3.35 m |
| Fairing diameter | 4.2 m |
| Stage 1 + boosters diameter | 5.8 m |
| Liftoff mass | 625 tons |
| Liftoff thrust | 753 tons |
The CBC architecture's key advantage is modularity — the core stage and boosters share a unified structure, enabling "building block" assembly that significantly reduces manufacturing costs and production timelines.
Maiden Flight Payload
Three satellites were carried on this inaugural flight:
- Xīnzhēngchéng-01
- Xīnzhēngchéng-02 (Light Boat prototype spacecraft)
- Tiānshì-01
The maiden flight directly served national strategic projects, representing the 12th launch in the Lift series.
Future Roadmap
Lift-2 Chief Commander Yang Haoliang stated that this maiden flight signals a key milestone in China's next-generation space cargo transportation system. Future plans include 100 km-class recovery tests, with mature recovery capability supporting the national satellite internet constellation (StarNet).
CAS Space's product roadmap:
- Lift-2 Heavy: Maiden flight planned for 2028
- Lift-3: Maiden flight planned for 2030
- Lihong-2 (reusable vehicle): Maiden flight planned for late 2026 – Q1 2027
The Lift-2 will support LEO communication satellite constellation deployment, low-cost space station cargo delivery, MEO/GEO satellite launches, and deep space exploration missions.