China to add 4th launch site: Wenchang Satellite Launch Center

William Atkins
Sunday, 23 September 2007 21:25

Science - Space

Besides its three existing launch sites at Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang, China is adding a fourth site at Hainan Province to keep up with its expanding presence in space.               

On September 22, 2007, China’s State Council and the Central Military Commission approved the construction of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.

The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), located in northwest China within the Alashan League of Inner Mongolia, is about 995 miles (1,600 kilometers) from Beijing. Jiuquan is the nearest urban center to the launch center. It is China’s first launch site, being built in 1958. The JSLC has launched such satellites as the Dong Fang Hong 1 (“The East is Red 1”) China’s first satellite in 1970, and its first manned space mission Shenzhou 5 (“Divine Land 5”) in 2003.

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) is located near the capital of north China’s Shanxi Province, within Kelan County. It began operations in 1968, primarily launching meteorological satellites, earth resource satellites, and scientific satellites. It also launches intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

The Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) is located in the southwestern Sichuan Province, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Xichang City. It began operations in 1984, primarily launching rockets containing geostationary communications and weather satellites. The site is being updated for use with China’s Chang’e lunar exploration program.

The Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (WSLC) is China’s latest launch site. It is located in China’s southernmost Hainan Province, near Wenchang. The site will launch China’s next-generation rockets and associated spacecraft into synchronous orbit about the Earth, along with the launching of space stations and deep space probes. It will also launch manned lunar missions. WSLC is China’s southernmost space center, being only about 19 degrees north of the equator.

For additional information on China’s space program and its agency China National Space Administration (CNSA), go to: http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n615709/cindex.html.