The development of the first launch station at the Hainan Commercial Launch Site is expected to be finished by the end of 2024. This will take China’s aerospace sector another step forward. Two launch pads, a launch tower with support structures, water spray systems, lightning protection towers, rocket transfer equipment, and other amenities will be part of the site. A Long March 8 rocket is anticipated to be used for the first launch from the new location in 2024. It will be used for commercial missions and ridesharing
A second launch pad is also anticipated for the Hainan Commercial Launch Complex in Hainan. The combination of the new launch facilities would make it easier to support China’s expanding launch industry. They will be essential for the country’s commercial rocket companies, whose activity is anticipated to grow by 2024.
The established inland spaceports of Jiuquan, Taiyuan, and Xichang in China, as well as the current launch pads at Wenchang, have been experiencing congestion. The cause of this outcome is the rising demand for launch services. This congestion will be lessened by the new commercial location. The new commercial location also permits the use of kerosene and methane among other fuel kinds.
A larger project for a Wenchang International Aerospace City includes the construction of the Hainan Commercial Launch Site. In addition to satellite data and application services, the city will include rocket assembly industries and satellite research and development facilities. The concerned parties have signed contracts to establish a presence in the city. They include CASC, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and the commercial launch firms Deep Blue Aerospace as well as iSpace. Reusable liquid launchers are being developed by the latter pair.
Wenchang has already been the focus of China’s developing launch capabilities. It began with the construction of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in 2014. This made it possible for China to launch new, more powerful cryogenic rockets. These rockets could carry 22-metric-ton space station modules into orbit. The nation’s first interplanetary expedition, Tianwen-1, as well as a lunar sample return mission, were both launched from this location. With plans for up to 30 launches per year, the site’s activities are expected to increase.
Wenchang will play a bigger part in China’s space goals going forward as the location is extended to make it easier to launch missions to the moon. A low earth orbit test launch of the personnel launcher CASC is constructing for lunar missions is scheduled for 2026. A quick mission to land people on the moon before 2030 may be supported by two of the full, triple-core, three-stage rockets.
Wenchang will participate in the launch of China’s Guowang low Earth orbit communications mega-constellation using the Long March 5B rocket in addition to human missions. The communications services and infrastructure in China will benefit from this massive constellation.