The Long March-6C has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking China’s entry into the solid–liquid combined‑propellant rocket era.

　　 The ultra-lightweight magnesium–lithium alloy from Sifang has helped the satellite successfully reach its designated orbit.
　　At 17:50 on March 29, China’s new-generation Long March-6C carrier rocket made its maiden launch from a newly constructed launch pad at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The rocket successfully placed the Pujiang‑2 and Tiankun‑2 satellites into their designated orbits, marking a complete success for the mission.

　　The Long March‑6C launch vehicle was developed under the overall leadership of the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is China’s first solid–liquid bundled launch vehicle and a new member of the next‑generation Long March family of launch vehicles. The successful maiden flight of the Long March‑6C has enabled China to achieve breakthroughs in a series of technologies, including solid–liquid bundling, thereby driving innovative development in the next‑generation launch vehicle program.

　　The rocket features a two-and-a-half-stage configuration, with a total length of approximately 50 meters and a liftoff mass of about 530 tons. Its payload capacity to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit is no less than 4 tons. The core first and second stages have a diameter of 3.35 meters; the first stage is powered by two 120-ton‑thrust liquid‑oxygen/kerosene engines, while the second stage uses a single 18-ton‑thrust liquid‑oxygen/kerosene engine. Four 2-meter‑diameter boosters are strapped to the core stage, each equipped with a 120-ton‑thrust solid‑propellant motor.

　　The propulsion system is what sets this rocket apart. Its four boosters are powered by two‑stage 120‑ton thrust solid rocket motors developed by the Fourth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, while the core stage employs liquid oxygen–kerosene engines designed by the Sixth Academy of the same corporation. This configuration successfully achieves a “cross‑domain synergy” between solid and liquid propulsion, leveraging the high performance and long burn times of liquid engines alongside the high thrust and simple operation and maintenance of solid engines. To realize this, the rocket has mastered key technologies, including solid booster integration and separation, large‑area load‑distribution techniques at the attachment points, and combined solid–liquid gimbal control.

　　The Pujiang‑2 satellite was developed by the Eighth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and is primarily intended for scientific experiments, resource surveys, and related missions. The Tiankun‑2 satellite was developed by the Second Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is capable of meeting the functional requirements of diverse and complex tasks, including space science exploration, on-orbit services, and new‑technology validation.

　　The ultra-light magnesium–lithium alloy developed by Xi’an Sifang Ultra-Light Materials Co., Ltd. is extensively used in structural components such as satellite mounting brackets, support frames, and housings, helping satellites successfully reach their designated orbits and accomplish their scientific missions, thereby making invaluable contributions to their launch and space operations.