Antonov An-124
Soviet heavy-lift cargo aircraft; used to fly Chang'e 7 spacecraft to Wenchang in April 2026.
Last refreshed: 14 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why is China still flying spacecraft on Soviet-era cargo aircraft in 2026?
Timeline for Antonov An-124
Mentioned in: Chang'e 7 arrives at Wenchang for launch
Artemis II Moon Mission- How did China transport the Chang'e 7 spacecraft to the launch site?
- China flew Chang'e 7 from Beijing to Wenchang on 9 April 2026 aboard an Antonov An-124 heavy-lift cargo aircraft.Source: event
- What is the Antonov An-124 used for?
- The An-124 is a Soviet-designed heavy strategic transport with a 150-tonne payload capacity, used for moving large cargo including spacecraft, military equipment, and industrial machinery.
- Why does China use Russian or Ukrainian aircraft for space missions?
- China has no domestic aircraft with comparable outsize-cargo capacity to the An-124. It charters An-124s commercially for moving spacecraft to launch sites, a practice that predates and continues despite the Ukraine war.Source: event
Background
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a Soviet-designed heavy strategic transport aircraft, first flown in 1982 and produced at the Aviant plant in Kyiv. China used an An-124 to fly its Chang'e 7 lunar south-pole spacecraft from Beijing to the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on 9 April 2026, arriving the same day Orion began its return trajectory from the lunar far side . The juxtaposition made it the moment the space-race subtext of Artemis II became explicit: one programme splashing down as the other moved to the pad.
Only around 55 An-124s were ever built, and production ended with Soviet collapse. Most in commercial service are operated through arrangements with Antonov Airlines (Ukrainian state) or Volga-Dnepr Airlines (Russian). China does not own An-124s; it uses them under commercial charter, a relationship that has persisted despite the Ukraine war straining Antonov Airlines' capacity. The aircraft's 150-tonne payload capacity makes it one of very few options globally for moving large spacecraft components by air. Its nearest Western equivalent, the Boeing C-17, cannot match its payload.
The An-124's continued use by China for space logistics highlights how Soviet-era heavy transport infrastructure remains embedded in the global supply chain for launches. No Chinese equivalent exists yet, and the Y-20 strategic transport, while growing, lacks the An-124's outsize-cargo capability. China's dependence on this aircraft for moving spacecraft is an operational detail with strategic undertones.