Launches / Smart Dragon 3

Past launch Launched successfully

PRSC-EO2 & 6 satellites

Smart Dragon 3, flown by China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Smart Dragon 3 lifting off with the PRSC-EO2 & 6 satellites mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was China Rocket Co. Ltd.'s 1st launch of 2026, and its 10th in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 30th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2026, and the first from South China Sea (launch location 3).

Launched
Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, 6:37 a.m. UTC
Window
Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, 6:26 to 6:47 a.m. UTC
Launch site
Haiyang Oriental Spaceport
Rocket
Smart Dragon 3
Operator
China Rocket Co. Ltd.

The mission

Carried 7 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit, including PRSC-EO2 (Earth observation satellite for the Pakistan government's SUPARCO) & CUHK-1. Details on other payloads to be confirmed.

Type
Earth science
Destination
Sun-synchronous orbit

The rocket

Smart Dragon-3 is a solid fuel orbital rocket designed by a subsidiary of the state-owned CASC group built for the commercial market.

The operator

China Rocket Co. Ltd.

China Rocket Co. Ltd. is a spinoff of China’s state-owned launch vehicle manufacturer using a “commercial business model”.

Sector
Commercial
Based in
China

13 launches so far, 13 of them successful. The last 13 in a row went to plan.

The launch site

It went up from South China Sea (launch location 3) at Haiyang Oriental Spaceport.

See the pad on a map →

Catch the next one instead

This one is done, but there is another along shortly. Flyby works out whether it climbs into your sky, and wakes you in time to get outside.

Get Flyby free