Overview
Wenchang Space Launch Site is China's newest and most southerly launch facility, located on the northeast coast of Hainan Island at 19.6°N latitude. Operational since 2016, Wenchang was built specifically to handle China's largest launch vehicles — the Long March 5, 7 and 8 series — which are too large to transport by rail to inland sites. Its coastal location allows rocket stages to be shipped by sea from manufacturing facilities in Tianjin.
Facility Details
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Wenchang, Hainan Island, China |
| Coordinates | 19.61°N, 110.95°E |
| Operator | PLA Strategic Support Force / CASC |
| Established / First Launch | 2009 (construction); 2016 (operational) |
| Active Vehicles | Long March 5, Long March 5B, Long March 7, Long March 8 |
| Launch Pads | LC-101 (LM-5/5B), LC-201 (LM-7/8) |
| Orbital Access | LEO, GTO, GEO, lunar, interplanetary |
| Inclination Range | ~19°–100°+ |
Key Missions
Tiangong Space Station: All three modules of the Tiangong station (Tianhe, Wentian, Mengtian) were launched from Wenchang on the Long March 5B.
Lunar Programme: Chang'e 5 (lunar sample return, 2020) and Chang'e 6 (far-side sample return, 2024) launched from Wenchang on Long March 5. Future Chang'e 7 and 8 missions will also launch from here.
Mars: Tianwen-1 (China's first Mars mission, 2020) launched from Wenchang.
Why Hainan?
Wenchang's coastal location and low latitude (19.6°N) provide two advantages. The southern latitude maximises Earth's rotational velocity bonus for GEO and interplanetary launches. The coastal setting means rocket stages fall into the South China Sea rather than on populated land — a significant safety improvement over China's inland sites (Jiuquan, Xichang, Taiyuan), where spent boosters have historically fallen near villages.
The sea access also solves a practical constraint: the Long March 5's 5-metre core diameter is too wide for China's railway tunnels. By manufacturing in Tianjin and shipping by barge to Hainan, there are no transport limitations on rocket size.