Hainan’s commercial space launch site phase II breaks ground, two liquid rocket launch pads planned

A Long March-12 carrier rocket is seen at the No. 2 launch pad of the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Nov 30, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

The construction of the second phase of the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in South China's Hainan Province, broke ground on Saturday, featuring plans to build two liquid rocket launch pads, the Global Times learned from the company.

The expansion of the launch site marks another milestone for Hainan's aerospace industry, playing a crucial role in driving the high-quality growth of China's aerospace sector, as well as meeting the growing demand for commercial launches, said Liu Xiaoming, governor of Hainan Province, on Saturday.

Located in Wenchang International Aerospace City in Hainan Province, the commercial launch site was built and is operated by the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co (HICAL).

The second phase, adjacent to the first phase of the spaceport, covers a total area of approximately 2,000 mu (133 hectares), HICAL told the Global Times, noting that the project will mainly involve the construction of launch zones, technical areas, and some monitoring stations.

The launch zone will add two new liquid rocket launch pads, No. 3 and No. 4, building upon the existing infrastructure of the first phase. Supporting systems such as propellant fueling and gas supply will also be constructed, according to the company.

Looking into 2025, HICAL aims to advance the second construction phase, develop monitoring systems, establish offshore recovery sites, and complete high-density launch missions.

"The second phase will alleviate the bottleneck of insufficient launch resources for second-generation systems, provide ample opportunities for the development of new reusable launch vehicles, and significantly enhance the overall efficiency of China's space access," said a representative of the HICAL's shareholders, noting that it is "of great significance."

As China's first commercial spaceport, the Hainan launch site successfully completed its first launch mission on November 30, 2024, with the newly developed Long March-12 carrier rocket delivering two satellites into their designated orbits.

The first phase of the launch site was completed in just 878 days, illustrating the high efficiency of China's spaceport construction capabilities. It helped complete a full industrial chain for China's commercial space sector, encompassing satellite and rocket manufacturing, test launches at the commercial spaceport, and satellite data application services.

"The expansion of the project will greatly enhance the launch capabilities of the spaceport, help meet the growing demand for commercial launches in China, drive the continuous improvement of the aerospace+ industry chain, and create a hub for leading talent and technological innovation," a project manager at the company told the Global Times.

Commercial aerospace has become a strategic high ground in global competition. In 2024, as one of the new growth engines of the economy, commercial aerospace was included in the Chinese government work report for the first time.

According to a blue paper released by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation in February 2024, China completed 26 commercial launches in 2023, including rideshare and piggyback missions, accounting for 39 percent of the total launches that year and the success rate of launches reached 96 percent.