The Wenchang Space Launch Site () is a rocket launch site located in Wenchang on the island of Hainan, in China.
Formally a suborbital test center, it currently serves as China's southernmost spaceport. The site was selected for its low latitude, 19° north of the equator, allowing for larger payloads to be launched. Unlike launch facilities on the mainland, Wenchang uses its seaport for deliveries. It is the only launch site of the Long March 5, the heaviest Chinese rocket, which launched all three modules of the Tiangong space station. It is also the only launch site of the Long March 7, carrying the Tianzhou cargo craft to resupply the station. The site is expected to become the center of the China Manned Space Program, as the Shenzhou craft, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, is retired in favor of the Mengzhou craft and lunar-capable Long March 10 under development at Wenchang.
The construction of the site was complete by October 2014. The first launch took place on 25 June 2016. Due to construction delays, the initial launch of the CZ-5 booster from Wenchang, originally expected to start in 2014 was postponed and took place on 3 November 2016. The CZ-5B (maximum payload to LEO) variant was expected to be completed circa 2018 but the maiden flight took place on 5 May 2020. A CZ-5 carrier rocket was already shipped from North China's Tianjin port on 20 September 2015 for rehearsal drills of a scheduled Chang'e-5 lunar mission, which was planned for around 2019 and was successfully launched on 23 November 2020.
Reasons for selection
Location At 19 degrees north latitude, the Wenchang Space Launch Site is located on the Chinese island of Hainan, which is the nearest to the equator among Chinese territories. Low-latitude locations are desirable for space launch sites due to the higher speed of rotation closer to the equator, as well as the smaller inclination change maneuver needed to reach geosynchronous orbit. Hainan also has a large range of allowable launch azimuths, facilitating the launch of payloads to orbital inclinations between 90 and 175 degrees.
The launch site is considered to have favorable conditions for long-term development and international collaboration, thanks to its potential for expansion, low operational expenses, and relatively lenient regulatory framework. Rockets launched from Hainan Island are within of the ocean in the direction of launch, and their trajectory takes them over the open ocean. This makes falling rocket debris less likely to cause accidents and destroy property.
Economic potential Wenchang Space Launch Site is in the northeast coastal section of Dongjiao Town, Wenchang City, with a coastline of roughly 4,100 meters and an area of 7,336 acres, starting from the control area of the space launch site in the north. The project is designed to include a theme park area, a central lake area (commercial and leisure function), and an ecological coconut forest region (holiday and residential function), with a total construction land area of 6,046 acres. Hainan, as a tourist destination in China with many tourism resources is predicted to grow. This space launch site was included in Hainan Province's 11th Five-Year Plan in 2010.
Planning and construction During the Cold War the location was considered vulnerable to foreign military forces. After the Cold War ended, development plans were renewed. The construction of the new Wenchang Space Launch Center was officially approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China on 22 September 2007.
In late October 2007, the Mayor of Wenchang announced the appropriation of of land for the center and the necessary relocation of more than 6,000 people, mostly from the villages of Longlou (龙楼, ) and Dongjiao (东郊, ).
A November 2007 article indicated that the actual launch site would be near Longlou, while a space-science theme park would be built near Dongjiao. Satellite photography taken during April 2011 shows a clearing near the beach, likely for the CZ-5 launch pad.
Launch pads
Wenchang has three launch pads:
LC-101 – for CZ-5 launches, includes a fixed service structure and launch gantry, and is located at . LC-201 – for CZ-7 launches (and also compatible with CZ-8), includes a service structure and launch gantry, and is located at . LC-301 – for CZ-10 launches, includes a service structure and launch gantry.
Launch statistics Rocket configurations The rocket configurations launched each year on either LC-1 or LC-2 :
Launch history Previous launches Date (UTC) Vehicle Serial number Launch Pad Payload Outcome Notes 25 July 2016, Long March 7/YZ-1A Y1 LC-2 DFFC, Aolong 1, Aoxiang Zhixing, Tiange Feixingqi 1 & 2 :zh:长征七号首飞 3 November 2016, Long March 5/YZ-2 Y1 LC-1 Shijian-17 20 April 2017, Long March 7 Y2 LC-2 Tianzhou 1 2 July 2017 Long March 5 Y2 LC-1 Shijian 18 27 December 2019 Long March 5 Y3 LC-1 Shijian 20 16 March 2020 Long March 7A Y1 LC-2 XJY-6 5 May 2020 Long March 5B Y1 LC-1 Mengzhou (Prototype) :zh:长征五号B首飞 23 July 2020 Long March 5 Y4 LC-1 Tianwen 1 24 November 2020 Long March 5 Y5 LC-1 Chang'e 5 22 December 2020 Long March 8 Y1 LC-2 XJY-7, Haisi-1, Tianqi-8, Zinxing-1A & Yuanguang 11 March 2021 Long March 7A Y2 LC-2 Shiyan 9 29 April 2021 Long March 5B Y2 LC-1 Tianhe 29 May 2021 Long March 7 Y3 LC-2 Tianzhou 2 20 September 2021 Long March 7 Y4 LC-2 Tianzhou 3 23 December 2021 Long March 7A Y3 LC-2 Shiyan-12 01 & 02 27 February 2022 Long March 8 Y2 LC-2 Tianxian, Hainan-1 & Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D 9 May 2022 Long March 7 Y5 LC-2 Tianzhou 4 24 July 2022 Long March 5B Y3 LC-1 Wentian 13 September 2022 Long March 7A Y5 LC-2 ChinaSat 1E 31 October 2022 Long March 5B Y4 LC-1 Mengtian 12 November 2022 Long March 7 Y6 LC-2 Tianzhou 5 9 January 2023 Long March 7A Y4 LC-2 Shijian-23 10 May 2023 Long March 7 Y7 LC-2 Tianzhou 6 2 November 2023 Long March 7A Y6 LC-2 TJS-10 15 December 2023 Long March 5 Y6 LC-1 Yaogan 41 17 January 2024 Long March 7 Y8 LC-2 Tianzhou 7 23 February 2024 Long March 5 Y7 LC-1 TJS-11 20 March 2024 Long March 8 Y3 LC-2 Queqiuo 2, Tiandu-1&2 3 May 2024 Long March 5 Y8 LC-1 Chang'e 6 29 June 2024 Long March 7A Y8 LC-2 ChinaSat 3A 22 August 2024 Long March 7A Y9 LC-2 ChinaSat 4A 15 November 2024 Long March 7 Y9 LC-2 Tianzhou 8 16 December 2024 Long March 5B/YZ-2 Y6 LC-1 Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 01) 11 February 2025 Long March 8A Y1 LC-2 Guowang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 02) 29 March 2025 Long March 7A Y11 LC-2 TJS-16 29 April 2025 Long March 5B/YZ-2 Y7 LC-1 Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 03) 20 May 2025 Long March 7A Y15 LC-2 ChinaSat 3B 15 July 2025 Long March 7 Y10 LC-2 Tianzhou 9 13 August 2025 Long March 5B/YZ-2 Y8 LC-1 Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 08) 9 September 2025 Long March 7A Y14 LC-2 Yaogan 45 23 October 2025 Long March 5 Y9 LC-1 TJS-20 3 November 2025 Long March 7A Y13 LC-2 Yaogan 46 30 November 2025 Long March 7A Y10 LC-2 Shijian 28 20 December 2025 Long March 5 Y10 LC-1 TJS-23 30 December 2025 Long March 7A Y7 LC-2 Shijian 29 A & B 11 February 2026 Long March 10A Test Stage LC-3 Mengzhou :zh:长征十号低空演示验证与梦舟飞船最大动压逃逸飞行试验 11 May 2026 Long March 7 Y11 LC-2 Tianzhou 10 26 May 2026 Long March 7A Y12 LC-2 TJS-24 11 June 2026 Long March 5 Y11 LC-1 TJS-25 23 June 2026 Long March 7A Y20 LC-2 TJS-26A 29 July 2026 Long March 7A Y29 LC-2 Tianlian 3-01 10 August 2026 Long March 7A Y16 LC-2 ChinaSat-4B
Next launches Date (UTC) Vehicle Serial number Launch Pad Payload Outcome Notes 2026 Long March 5 Y LC-1 Chang'e 7 2027 Long March 5 Y LC-1 Xuntian 2028 Long March 5 Y LC-1 Tianwen 3 2029 Long March 5 Y LC-1 Chang'e 8 2030 Long March 5 Y LC-1 Tianwen-4
The first launch was a Long March 7 which took place successfully on 25 June 2016.
On 3 November 2016, the Long March 5 rocket made its maiden flight from the launch site.
On 2 July 2017, a Long March 5 launch failed to complete its mission to put a seven ton Shijian-18 communications satellite into orbit.
The third flight of Long March 5 occurred on 27 December 2019 from Wenchang LC-1.
The maiden flight of the Long March 5B variant took place on 5 May 2020 from Wenchang LC-1.
On 23 July 2020, the fourth flight of Long March 5 put China's first indigenous Mars orbiter/rover Tianwen-1 directly into TMI from Wenchang.
The maiden flight of Long March 8 occurred on 22 December 2020 from Wenchang LC-2.
On 29 April 2021, the core module Tianhe of the China Space Station was successfully launched aboard a Long March 5B rocket from Wenchang LC-1.
On 29 May 2021, a cargo resupply ship named Tianzhou-2 launched on a Long March 7 (Y3) rocket from LC-2 to rendezvous with the China Space Station as preparation for the upcoming Shenzhou-12 crewed mission.
See also
References
External links
Hainan Space Center