Long March 5

Long March 5 (LM-5; Chinese: 长征五号; pinyin: Chángzhēng wǔ hào) or Changzheng 5 (CZ-5), also known by its nickname "Pang-Wu" (胖五, "Fat-Five"), is a Chinese heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). The most powerful Chinese rocket and Long March rocket ever built, it is also the most powerful orbital launch vehicle operating outside of the United States. First launched in 2016, CZ-5 has carried cornerstones of the Chinese space program: all three modules of the Tiangong space station, two Moon sample returns, and one Mars mission.

There are two CZ-5 variants: CZ-5 and CZ-5B. The maximum payload capacities are approximately 25,000 kg (55,000 lb) to low Earth orbit (for CZ-5B) and approximately 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit (for CZ-5). This makes the CZ-5B the world's fifth most powerful orbital launch vehicle by payload to LEO and the CZ-5 the second most powerful by payload to GTO, comparable to the US Vulcan Centaur, ESAAriane 6, and Russian Angara A5. The hydrolox core stage uses two YF-77 engines, while its four keroloxboosters each use two YF-100 engines, ultimately derived from the Soviet RD-120. The hydrolox second stage uses two YF-75D engines. The Yuanzheng-2 third stage, only used on the CZ-5 variant, is powered by two hypergolic YF-50D engines.

As of April 2026, Long March 5 variants have launched 17 times, with 16 successes, all from the southernmost Wenchang Space Launch Site. Ten have been on the CZ-5 and seven on the CZ-5B. The first CZ-5 launched on in November 2016. Following a core stage failure on its second launch in June 2017, it underwent a 28-month launch hiatus, before resuming successful flights. The CZ-5B first launched in 2020.

The CZ-5 has launched large space probes: the Tianwen-1, China's first Mars orbiter, lander, and rover, as well as Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6, China's first Moon sample return missions. CZ-5 has also launched military satellites of the geostationary Shijian and Tongxin Jishu Shiyan programs, and low Earth Yaogan program. The CZ-5B variant, lacking the Yuanzheng-2 upper stage, has launched larger low Earth orbit payloads: all modules of Tiangong: Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian, in 2021 and 2022, an uncrewed prototype of the Mengzhou lunar crew module, in 2020, and 10-satellite polar orbit clusters of the Guowangsatellite internet constellation, since 2024.

The CZ-5 is planned to launch the 2026 Chang'e 7 and 2029 Chang'e 8 Moon missions carrying orbiters, landers, and rovers, the 2028 dual-launch Tianwen-3Mars sample return and 2029 Tianwen-4Jupiter orbiter and Uranus flyby mission, and potentially the Shensuoheliosphere probes. The CZ-5B is expected to launch the Xuntianspace telescope to co-orbit with Tiangong in late 2026.