Wenchang Space Launch Site
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The Wenchang Space Launch Site (Chinese: 文昌航天发射场[1][2]) is a rocket launch site located in Wenchang on the island of Hainan, in China.
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Location | Wenchang, Hainan, China | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 19°36′52.17″N 110°57′4.08″E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator | CASC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total launches | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch pad(s) | Two | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Wenchang Space Launch Site | |||||||
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Simplified Chinese | 文昌航天发射场 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 文昌航天發射場 | ||||||
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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. It is capable of launching the Long 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 the CZ-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 to LEO) 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's Tianjin port on 20 September 2015 for rehearsal drills of a scheduled Chang'e-5 lunar mission, which was planned for around 2019[9] and was successfully launched on 23 November 2020.