China's First Commercial Spaceport: Ready for Rocket Launches by June 2024
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang City of south China's Hainan Province will be capable of launches by June 2024, said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. Construction of the No. 1 launch pad started in July 2022, and the equipment-installation phase was completed by the end of 2023.
Technical personnel from China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) are currently conducting joint debugging of the hydraulic, measurement and control and electromechanical systems at the No. 1 launch pad. Over 20 technical experts from across the country have also been dispatched to the launch site to ensure the timely progress of the project construction.
"We are working extratime to carry out several major processes, including adjustment, optimization, and debugging. We provide skillful support for on-site debugging and track the entire process from stem to stem to ensure the safety, reliability, and controllability of our shakedown test," said Zhang Jie, deputy general manager of Beijing Long March Tian Min Hi-Tech Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of CALT.
The No. 1 launch pad is a dedicated launch station for the Long March-8 carrier rockets, containing 11 types of equipment and facilities such as fixed service towers and launch pads. To ensure high efficiency, a series of technological innovations have been adopted in the design and product selection of the launch site to meet the demand for continuous launching of rockets within a short period of time.
"For commercial space launches, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are crucial. Therefore, we have made significant innovations in this regard. For example, we have made improvements to the tower structure behind me in terms of the deflector cone. Now, this deflector cone can be restored within seven days, enabling the capability for a second launch," Zhang said.
Currently, the equipment commissioning for No. 1 launch pad is expected to be completed by the end of March, while the installation of equipment for No. 2 launch pad is currently underway.
"Next, we will proceed with matchmaking between launch pads and propellant gas supply system, as well as the integration testing of sub-systems. In the subsequent stage, we will conduct comprehensive testing to the whole system. It is expected that the two launch pads will have basic launch capabilities by the end of June," said Ge Lixin, director of the engineering and equipment department, Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd.
Based on the commercial space launch site, Hainan plans to accelerate the formation of commercial space industry clusters focusing on the rocket industry supply chain, satellite industry supply chain, and the data management chain.
Video Credit: CCTV+ Channel
Duration: 1 minute, 34 seconds
Release Date: March 17, 2024
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