HICAL
{{Short description|Chinese spaceport company}}
{{Infobox company
| logo =
| name = Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd.
| native_name = {{lang|zh-hans|海南国际商业航天发射有限公司}}
| trade_name = HICAL
| type = State-owned enterprise
| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2022|06|02}}
| location = Wenchang, Hainan, China
| owner = Hainan Provincial Government
China Satellite Network Group
CASIC
CASC
| key_people = {{nowrap|Yang Tianliang}}
{{nowrap|(Chairman of the Board)}}{{cite web |last1=Wei |first1=An |last2=Xu |first2=Shuyang |title=火箭"工位"准备中 海南商业航天发射场项目最新进展 |url=https://content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/index.html?item_id=17117904112354389447 |publisher=China Central Television |access-date=30 March 2024 |language=zh-Hans-CN}}
| industry = Transport
| products = Spaceport operations and services
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| parent =
| subsid = Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site
| homepage =
| footnotes =
}}
Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd., or HICAL, is a Chinese state-owned company that operates the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, China's first commercial spaceport. Established in 2022, HICAL is the first commercially incorporated company in China to independently own and manage a spaceport.
History and Launch Pads
Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. (HICAL) was incorporated on June 2, 2022. The company is jointly funded by the Hainan Provincial Government and three state-owned aerospace contractors: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, and China Satellite Network Group. HICAL was established with a starting capital of RMB 1.5 billion.{{cite web |title=海南国际商业航天发射有限公司 |url=https://www.iguopin.com/company?id=10685390175750475 |website=www.iguopin.com |publisher=国聘 |access-date=31 March 2024}}
On July 6, 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, which is China's first commercial space launch complex, and which is fully funded, constructed and operated by HICAL.{{cite web |last1=Su |first1=Jiede |last2=Liu |first2=Mengxiao |title=海南国际商业航天发射中心今年将实现首发 |url=https://www.hi.chinanews.com.cn/hnnew/2024-03-13/700352.html |website=www.hi.chinanews.com.cn |publisher=China News Service |access-date=30 March 2024 |language=zh-cn}} Launch Complex 1 was completed in December 2023 and Launch Complex 2 is expected to be completed in 2024.{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Mengxiao |last2=Peng |first2=Qinglin |title=海南国际商业航天发射中心一号发射工位竣工-新华网 |url=http://hq.news.cn/20231230/881247c89e2d4701a57b27e204948d29/c.html |website=hq.news.cn |publisher=Xinhua |access-date=30 March 2024 |language=zh-cn}}{{Infobox launch pad|name=Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site|image=|caption=|site=|short=|tlaunches=2|unknown=|location=Wenchang, Hainan, China|coordinates=|operator=HICAL|pads=Two|paddetails={{Infobox launch pad/pad
| designation = Launch Complex 1
| status = Active
| launches = 1
| first_launch = 11 March 2025
| first_details= Long March 8 / G60 Polar Group 05
| last_launch =
| last_details =
| rockets = Long March 8
Long March 8A
}}
{{Infobox launch pad/pad
| designation = Launch Complex 2
| status = Active
| launches = 1
| first_launch = 30 November 2024
| first_details= Long March 12 / Demo Flight
| last_launch =
| last_details =
| rockets = Long March 12 (active)
Tianlong-3 (future)
Pallas-1 (future)
Nebula-1 (future)
Gravity-2 (future)
Kinetica 2 (future)
}}}}
Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site
The Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site ({{lang-zh|文昌商业航天发射场|links=no}}), located at Wenchang, Hainan, is China's first commercial space launch site, and 5th space launch site. The launch site started construction in July 2022, and is expected to be put into service in 2024.{{cite news |title=Commercial space launch site begins construction |url=http://www.china.org.cn/business/2022-07/07/content_78310124.htm |access-date=7 July 2022 |agency=China Daily}}
The Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site is built and operated by HICAL, a joint venture of the Hainan government and three state-owned conglomerates. In China, a commercial space center is a site owned by an entity other than the Government or Military.{{cite web |last1=Joseph |first1=Joane |title=Work begins on China's First Commercial Spacecraft Launch Centre at Hainan |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2023/01/30/chinas-first-commercial-spacecraft-launch-centre-at-hainan/ |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=GizmoChina}}
Construction of the site started in July 2022, and the launch complex one was finished on Dec 29, 2023.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Andrew |date=5 January 2024 |title=China completes new commercial launch pad to boost access to space |url=https://spacenews.com/china-completes-new-commercial-launch-pad-to-boost-access-to-space/ |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=SpaceNews}} As of April 2024, the second pad is set to be finished by the end of May, with 19 different rockets from nine companies expected to launch using LC-2.{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Andrew |date=4 April 2024 |title=China putting finishing touches on seaside spaceport for commercial launches (video) |url=https://www.space.com/china-finishing-commercial-spaceport-hainan-video |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=Space.com |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Spaceport}}{{Portal bar|Spaceflight|China}}
Category:Companies based in Hainan
Category:Chinese companies established in 2022
Category:2022 establishments in China