The Long March rocket is a series of expendable launch vehicles developed by China to transport payloads into space. It has been used for various missions, including launching satellites, resupplying the International Space Station, and supporting crewed spaceflights. The program began in the 1970s and has since evolved through multiple versions, each improving in technology and capacity. The Long March rockets are named after the historic Long March undertaken by the Chinese Communist Party in the 1930s. They are designed to carry different types of payloads, ranging from scientific instruments to military satellites, and play a crucial role in China's space exploration efforts.