Overview
Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC) is China's first and most active spaceport, located in the Gobi Desert in Gansu Province. Established in 1958, Jiuquan launched China's first satellite (Dongfanghong-1, 1970) and every crewed Shenzhou mission. It remains the primary launch site for LEO missions and is the busiest of China's four launch sites by annual cadence.
Facility Details
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Gobi Desert, Gansu Province / Inner Mongolia, China |
| Coordinates | 40.96°N, 100.29°E |
| Operator | PLA Strategic Support Force / CASC |
| Established / First Launch | 1958 |
| Active Vehicles | Long March 2F (crewed), Long March 2D, Long March 4C, Long March 11, commercial launchers |
| Launch Pads | Multiple — dedicated crewed pad, commercial pads |
| Orbital Access | LEO (various inclinations), SSO |
| Inclination Range | ~40°–98° (SSO) |
Key Missions
Crewed Spaceflight: Every Chinese crewed mission (Shenzhou programme) launches from Jiuquan on the Long March 2F rocket. This includes all crew rotation missions to the Tiangong space station. The station’s three modules were not launched from here: they needed the Long March 5B and flew from Wenchang.
LEO Satellites: Jiuquan handles a high volume of small and medium satellite launches using Long March 2D and 4C rockets, as well as a growing number of commercial launch providers.
Jiuquan is not used for GEO or heavy-lift launches, which instead go to Wenchang (Long March 5/7) or Xichang (Long March 3B). The Gobi Desert location provides vast unpopulated downrange areas for spent stages — though booster debris occasionally falls near rural communities, a persistent concern with China's inland launch sites.