 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Wenchang Space Launch Site" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Wenchang Space Launch Site | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Wenchang,Hainan, China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coordinates | 19°36′52.17″N110°57′4.08″E / 19.6144917°N 110.9511333°E /19.6144917; 110.9511333 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | CASC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total launches | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch pad | Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wenchang Space Launch Site | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 文昌航天发射场 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 文昌航天發射場 | ||||||
| |||||||
TheWenchang Space Launch Site (Chinese:文昌航天发射场[1][2]) is a rocket launch site located inWenchang on the island ofHainan, in China.
Formally asuborbital test center, it currently serves as China's southernmostspaceport. The site was selected for its lowlatitude,19° north of the equator, allowing for larger payloads to be launched. It is capable of launching theLong March 5, the heaviest Chinese rocket.[3] Unlike launch facilities on the mainland, Wenchang uses its seaport for deliveries.
The construction of the site was complete by October 2014.[4] The first launch took place on 25 June 2016.[5] Due to construction delays, the initial launch of theCZ-5 booster from Wenchang, originally expected to start in 2014[6] was postponed and took place on 3 November 2016.[7] The CZ-5B (maximum payload toLEO) variant was expected to be completed circa 2018[8] but the maiden flight took place on 5 May 2020. A CZ-5 carrier rocket was already shipped from North China'sTianjin port on 20 September 2015 for rehearsal drills of a scheduledChang'e-5 lunar mission, which was planned for around 2019[9] and was successfully launched on 23 November 2020.
At 19 degrees north latitude, the Wenchang Space Launch Site is located on the Chinese island ofHainan, 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 reachgeosynchronous orbit.[10] Hainan also has a large range of allowable launchazimuths, 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 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) 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.
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.
During theCold 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 theState Council and theCentral Military Commission of thePeople's Republic of China on 22 September 2007.[11]
In late October 2007, the Mayor ofWenchang announced the appropriation of 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of land for the center and the necessary relocation of more than 6,000 people, mostly from the villages of Longlou (龙楼,19°39′07″N110°57′47″E / 19.652°N 110.963°E /19.652; 110.963 (Longlou village)) and Dongjiao (东郊,19°34′01″N110°52′01″E / 19.567°N 110.867°E /19.567; 110.867 (Dongjiao village)).[12]
A November 2007 article indicated that the actual launch site would be near Longlou, while a space-science theme park would be built nearDongjiao.[13] Satellite photography taken during April 2011 shows a clearing19°36′50″N110°57′05″E / 19.6139°N 110.9513°E /19.6139; 110.9513 (Possible new site of launch facility) near the beach, likely for the CZ-5 launch pad.
Wenchang has two launch pads:[14]
The rocket configurations launched each year on either LC-1 or LC-2 :
| 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 | Success | |
| 3 November 2016, | Long March 5/YZ-2 | Y1 | LC-1 | Shijian-17 | Success | |
| 20 April 2017, | Long March 7 | Y2 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 1 | Success | |
| 2 July 2017 | Long March 5 | Y2 | LC-1 | Shijian 18 | Failure | |
| 27 December 2019 | Long March 5 | Y3 | LC-1 | Shijian 20 | Success | |
| 16 March 2020 | Long March 7A | Y1 | LC-2 | XJY-6 | Failure | |
| 5 May 2020 | Long March 5B | Y1 | LC-1 | Mengzhou (Prototype) | Success | |
| 23 July 2020 | Long March 5 | Y4 | LC-1 | Tianwen 1 | Success | |
| 24 November 2020 | Long March 5 | Y5 | LC-1 | Chang'e 5 | Success | |
| 22 December 2020 | Long March 8 | Y1 | LC-2 | XJY-7, Haisi-1, Tianqi-8, Zinxing-1A & Yuanguang | Success | |
| 11 March 2021 | Long March 7A | Y2 | LC-2 | Shiyan 9 | Success | |
| 29 April 2021 | Long March 5B | Y2 | LC-1 | Tianhe | Success | |
| 29 May 2021 | Long March 7 | Y3 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 2 | Success | |
| 20 September 2021 | Long March 7 | Y4 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 3 | Success | |
| 23 December 2021 | Long March 7A | Y3 | LC-2 | Shiyan-12 01 & 02 | Success | |
| 27 February 2022 | Long March 8 | Y2 | LC-2 | Tianxian, Hainan-1 & Jilin-1 Gaofen-03D | Success | |
| 9 May 2022 | Long March 7 | Y5 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 4 | Success | |
| 24 July 2022 | Long March 5B | Y3 | LC-1 | Wentian | Success | |
| 13 September 2022 | Long March 7A | Y5 | LC-2 | ChinaSat 1E | Success | |
| 31 October 2022 | Long March 5B | Y4 | LC-1 | Mengtian | Success | |
| 12 November 2022 | Long March 7 | Y6 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 5 | Success | |
| 9 January 2023 | Long March 7A | Y4 | LC-2 | Shijian-23 | Success | |
| 10 May 2023 | Long March 7 | Y7 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 6 | Success | |
| 2 November 2023 | Long March 7A | Y6 | LC-2 | TJS-10 | Success | |
| 15 December 2023 | Long March 5 | Y6 | LC-1 | Yaogan 41 | Success | |
| 17 January 2024 | Long March 7 | Y8 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 7 | Success | |
| 23 February 2024 | Long March 5 | Y7 | LC-1 | TJS-11 | Success | |
| 20 March 2024 | Long March 8 | Y3 | LC-2 | Queqiuo 2, Tiandu-1&2 | Success | |
| 3 May 2024 | Long March 5 | Y8 | LC-1 | Chang'e 6 | Success | |
| 29 June 2024 | Long March 7A | Y8 | LC-2 | ChinaSat 3A | Success | |
| 22 August 2024 | Long March 7A | Y9 | LC-2 | ChinaSat 4A | Success | |
| 15 November 2024 | Long March 7 | Y9 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 8 | Success | |
| 16 December 2024 | Long March 5B/YZ-2 | Y6 | LC-1 | Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 01) | Success | |
| 11 February 2025 | Long March 8A | Y1 | LC-2 | Guowang × 9 (SatNet LEO Group 02) | Success | |
| 29 March 2025 | Long March 7A | Y11 | LC-2 | TJS-16 | Success | |
| 29 April 2025 | Long March 5B/YZ-2 | Y7 | LC-1 | Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 03) | Success | |
| 20 May 2025 | Long March 7A | Y15 | LC-2 | ChinaSat 3B | Success | |
| 15 July 2025 | Long March 7 | Y10 | LC-2 | Tianzhou 9 | Success | |
| 13 August 2025 | Long March 5B/YZ-2 | Y8 | LC-1 | Guowang × 10 (SatNet LEO Group 08) | Success | |
| 9 September 2025 | Long March 7A | Y14 | LC-2 | Yaogan 45 | Success | |
| 23 October 2025 | Long March 5 | Y9 | LC-1 | TJS-20 | Success | |
| 3 November 2025 | Long March 7A | Y13 | LC-2 | Yaogan 46 | Success |
| Date (UTC) | Vehicle | Serial number | Launch Pad | Payload | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Long March 7 | Y | LC-2 | Tianzhou 10 | Planned | |
| 2026 | Long March 5 | Y | LC-1 | Chang'e 7 | Planned | |
| 2027 | Long March 5 | Y | LC-1 | Xuntian | Planned | |
| 2028 | Long March 5 | Y | LC-1 | Tianwen 3 | Planned | |
| 2029 | Long March 5 | Y | LC-1 | Chang'e 8 | Planned | |
| 2030 | Long March 5 | Y | LC-1 | Tianwen-4 | Planned |
The first launch was aLong March 7 which took place successfully on 25 June 2016.[5]
On 3 November 2016, theLong March 5 rocket made itsmaiden flight from the launch site.[21]
On 2 July 2017, a Long March 5 launch failed to complete its mission to put a seven tonShijian-18 communications satellite into orbit.[22][23]
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/roverTianwen-1 directly intoTMI from Wenchang.[24]
The maiden flight of Long March 8 occurred on 22 December 2020 from Wenchang LC-2.
On 29 April 2021, the core moduleTianhe of theChina Space Station was successfully launched aboard aLong March 5B rocket from Wenchang LC-1.[25]
On 29 May 2021, a cargo resupply ship namedTianzhou-2 launched on aLong March 7 (Y3) rocket from LC-2 to rendezvous with theChina Space Station as preparation for the upcomingShenzhou-12 crewed mission.[26]
.jpg)
.jpg)
| Missions | |
|---|---|
| Launch vehicles | |
| Facilities | |
| People | |
.jpg)
