China Begins Construction of New Space Launch Center in Hainan
After many years of discussion, China has begun construction of a new space launch site in Wenchang city on the island of Hainan according to China Daily. At 19 degrees north latitude, it will be the southern-most of the country’s space launch facilities. China is building a new launch vehicle, the Long March 5, that is expected to make its debut at Hainan in 2014.
The Long March 5 (CZ-5) will have a 25 ton to low Earth orbit (LEO) payload capability — in the same class as the U.S. Delta 4 Heavy, space shuttle, and Ares I (under development). China Daily reported that the Hainan launch site would be used for geostationary launches, space station launches, and launches of deep space probes. It also could be used for Chinese human spaceflight launches beyond LEO.
Currently, China has launch sites at Jiuquan in the Gobi Desert, used for China’s Shenzhou human spaceflight missions and most spacecraft launches to high inclination orbits; Xichang, near Chengdu, used for launches to geostationary orbit; and Taiyuan, south of Beijing, for polar orbit launches.
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