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Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

{{short description|Launch site in China}}

{{coord|38.8491|111.608|display=title}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}

{{Infobox launch pad

|name=Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

|image=Taiyuan 1601 Satellite Launch Site.jpg

|caption=Long March 6 on Launch Pad 16

|site=

|short=TSLC

|tlaunches=138{{efn|In addition to the flights that took place in the mentioned launch pads, two Kuaizhou-1A launches that took place in an unidentified location within the launch complex are included in the count.}}

|unknown=

|location=Kelan, Xinzhou, Shanxi

|coordinates={{coord|38|50|56.71|N|111|36|30.59|E|display=inline}}

|operator=CASC

|pads=Five (Four active and One Retired)

|paddetails={{Infobox launch pad/pad

| designation = LA-7

| status = Retired

| launches = 26

| first_launch = 6 September 1988

| first_details= Long March 4A / Fengyun 1A

| last_launch = 21 April 2009

| last_details = Long March 2C / Yaogan 6

| rockets = Long March 4A
Long March 2C
Long March 4B
Long March 4C

}}

{{Infobox launch pad/pad

| designation = LA-9

| status = Active

| launches = 81

| first_launch = 24 October 2008

| first_details= Long March 4B / Shijian-6E & 6F

| last_launch = 16 December 2024

| last_details = Long March 2D / PIESAT-2 09-12

| rockets = Long March 4B
Long March 4C
Long March 2C
Long March 2D

}}

{{Infobox launch pad/pad

| designation = LA-16

| status = Active

| launches = 15

| first_launch = 19 September 2015

| first_details= Long March 6 / XY 2

| last_launch = 3 April 2025

| last_details = Long March 6 / Tianping-3 A02

| rockets = Long March 6
Kuaizhou-1A

}}

{{Infobox launch pad/pad

| designation = LA-9A

| status = Active

| launches = 14

| first_launch = 29 March 2022

| first_details= Long March 6A / Pujiang-2 & Tiankun-2

| last_launch = 5 June 2025

| last_details = Long March 6A / SatNet LEO Group 04

| rockets = Long March 6A
Long March 6C

}}

{{Infobox launch pad/pad

| designation = Mobile Launcher Pad

| status = Active

| launches = 2

| first_launch = 7 December 2019

| first_details= Kuaizhou 1A / Jilin-1 Gaofen-02B

| last_launch = 25 September 2022

| last_details = Kuaizhou 1A / Shiyan-14
Shiyan-15

| rockets = Kuaizhou 1A

}}|status=Active}}

{{geogroup}}

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC){{Cite web |title=Taiyuan |url=http://www.astronautix.com/t/taiyuan.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.astronautix.com}} also known as Base 25 ({{Lang-zh|二十五基地}}), is a People's Republic of China space and defense launch facility (spaceport). It is situated in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province and is the second of four launch sites having been founded in March 1966 and coming into full operation in 1968.

The facility was built as part of China's Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and national security in China's rugged interior in case of invasion by the Soviet Union or the United States.{{Cite book |last=Meyskens |first=Covell F. |url= |title=Mao's Third Front: The Militarization of Cold War China |date=2020 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-78478-8 |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |pages=4, 218 |doi=10.1017/9781108784788 |oclc=1145096137 |s2cid=218936313}}

Taiyuan sits at an altitude of 1500 meters and its dry climate makes it an ideal launch site. The site is primarily used to launch meteorological satellites, Earth resource satellites and scientific satellites on Long March launch vehicles into Sun-synchronous orbits. TSLC is also a major launch site for intercontinental ballistic missiles and overland submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) tests.

The site has a sophisticated Technical Center and Mission Command and Control Center. It is served by two feeder railways that connect with the Ningwu–Kelan railway.

Launch pads

  • Launch Site 7: CZ-1D, CZ-2C/SD, CZ-4A, CZ-4B and CZ-4C vehicles.{{cite web |date=2007-10-30 |title=太原卫星发射中心从卫星影像看发射塔 |url=http://www.xiangshanren.com/attachments/month_0710/20071030_edccc5354b4a88b672738V5fqhIi38Vu.jpg |access-date=2008-06-09 |publisher=中国象山同乡网}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{Cite web |title=Taiyuan LC1 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/t/taiyuanlc1.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.astronautix.com}} Entered operations in 1979 and was remodeled in 2008.{{Cite web |date=2016-05-27 |title=Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre |url=https://chinaspacereport.wordpress.com/facilities/taiyuan/ |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=China Space Report |language=en}} Located at {{Coord|38.848737|111.607970|name=LC-7}}.
  • Launch Site 9: CZ-2C, CZ-2D, CZ-4B and CZ-4C.{{Cite web |title=Taiyuan LC9 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/t/taiyuanlc9.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.astronautix.com}} First use on 25 October 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2008/10-25/1425211.shtml |script-title=zh:太原卫星发射中心启用新工位 航天发射能力跃升|publisher= China News|date=2008-10-25|access-date=2008-10-27|language=zh}} Located at {{Coord|38.863200|111.589639|name=LC-9}}.
  • Launch Site 16: CZ-6 and Kuaizhou-1A.{{Cite web |title=Taiyuan LC16 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/t/taiyuanlc16.html |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=www.astronautix.com}} The CZ-6 Launch Pad was completed in 2014. Located at {{Coord|38.868223|111.580264|name=LC-16}}.
  • Launch Site 9A: CZ-6A and CZ-6C Vehicle. Located at {{Coord|38.858654|111.584808|name=LC-9A}}.
  • Mobile Launcher Pad: Kuaizhou-1A.

Launches

=Previous launches=

{{outdated|date=September 2020}}

class=wikitable

! Date

! Vehicle

! Serial number

! Launch Pad

! Payload

! Outcome

! Notes

6 September 1988 20:30 UTC

| Long March 4A

| 4A-Y1

| LA-7

| Fengyun 1A

| {{Success}}

|

9 September 1990 00:53 UTC

| Long March 4A

| 4A-Y2

| LA-7

| Fengyun 1B
QQW-1,2

| {{Success}}

|

1 September 1997 14:00 UTC

| Long March 2C/SD

| 2CFP-Y1

| LA-7

|Iridium mass simulator A
Iridium mass simulator B

| {{Success}}

|

8 December 1997

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 42
Iridium 44

| {{Success}}

|

25 March 1998

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 51
Iridium 61

| {{Success}}

|

2 May 1998

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 69
Iridium 71

| {{Success}}

|

20 August 1998

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 76
Iridium 78

| {{Success}}

|

19 December 1998

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 88
Iridium 89

| {{Success}}

|

10 May 1999

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Fengyun 1C
Shijian 5

| {{Success}}

|

11 June 1999

| Long March 2C/SD

|

| LA-7

|Iridium 92
Iridium 93

| {{Success}}

|

14 October 1999

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|CBERS-1
SACI 1

| {{Success}}

|

1 September 2000

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Ziyuan-2 01

| {{Success}}

|

15 May 2002

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Fengyun 1D
HaiYang 1A

| {{Success}}

|

15 September 2002

| Kaituozhe 1

|

| KLP

|PS-1

| {{no|Failed}}

|

27 October 2002

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Ziyuan-2 02

| {{Success}}

|

16 September 2003

| Kaituozhe 1

|

| KLP

|PS-2

| {{no|Failed}}

|

21 October 2003

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|CBERS-2
Chuangxin-1 01

| {{Success}}

|

25 July 2004

| Long March 2C/SM

|

| LA-7

|Double Star P

| {{Success}}

|

9 September 2004

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Shijian 6A
Shijian 6B

| {{Success}}

|

6 November 2004

| Long March 4B

|

| LA-7

|Ziyuan-2 03

| {{Success}}

|

09 June 2005

| Kaituozhe 1

|

| KLP

|PS-2

| {{no|Failed}}

|

27 April 2006

| Long March 4C

|

| LA-7

|Yaogan 1

| {{Success}}

|

6 November 2020 03:19 UTC

| Long March 6

| Y3

| LA-16

| ÑuSat 9-18 (10 Sats)

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

29 March 2022 09:50 UTC{{Cite web |last=Beil |first=Adrian |date=2022-03-29 |title=China debuts Chang Zheng 6A, teases more variants |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/03/cz-6a-debut/ |access-date=2022-03-30 |website=NASASpaceFlight.com |language=en-US}}

|Long March 6A

| 6A-Y1

| LA-9A

|Pujiang-2

Tiankun-2

|{{Success}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-29 |title=China launches first Long March rocket with solid boosters |url=https://spacenews.com/china-launches-first-long-march-rocket-with-solid-boosters/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}

|First flight at the "smart" launch pad, and the maiden flight of Long March 6A.

11 November 2022 22:52 UTC

| Long March 6A

| 6A-Y2

| LA-9A

| Yunhai-3-01

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

20 June 2023 03:18 UTC

| Long March 6

| Y12

| LA-16

| Shiyan 25

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

8 August 2023 UTC

| Long March 2C

| 2C-Y46

| LA-9

| S-SAR 02 (Huanjing 2F)

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

10 September 2023 04:30 UTC

| Long March 6A

| 6A-Y5

| LA-9A

| Yaogan 40A
Yaogan 40B
Yaogan 40C

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

31 October 2027 22:50 UTC

| Long March 6A

| 6A-Y4

| LA-9A

| Tianhui-5A
Tianhui-5B

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

=Recent launches=

class=wikitable

! Date

! Vehicle

! Serial number

! Launch Pad

! Payload

! Outcome

! Notes

26 March 2024 22:51 UTC

| Long March 6A

| 6A-Y3

| LA-9A

| Yunhai-3-02

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

=Upcoming launches=

class=wikitable

! Date

! Vehicle

! Serial Number

! Launch Pad

! Payload

! Outcome

! Notes

7 May 2024 UTC

| Long March 6C

| Y1

| LA-9A

| TBA

| {{Success}}{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906203913/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/06/content_9806611.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 September 2008|title=China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites|date=2008-09-06|publisher=Xinhua}}

|

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center was to launch a satellite coded as the 03 Group of the Shijian-6 serial research satellites sometime on 24 October 2008. The rocket carrier was to be a Long March 4B, said the official, noting both the satellite and the rocket were in good condition and all the preparations for the launch had been completed.{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/24/content_10248117.htm|title=China to launch satellite on Saturday_English_Xinhua|access-date=2008-10-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021230810/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-10/24/content_10248117.htm |archive-date=2012-10-21}}

The DongFang Spaceport

The DongFang Spaceport ({{lang|zh|东方航天港}}) is a maritime launch center under the jurisdiction of Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.{{cite web |title=我国首次海上远距离机动发射 捷龙三号运载火箭有哪些新突破？ |url=http://www.news.cn/tech/2023-12/06/c_1130011266.htm}} Its home port is in Haiyang, Yantai.{{Cite web|title="中国东方航天港"项目计划年内启动实施，力争在海阳打造我国首个海上发射母港，副标题:推动海上发射高频化常态化系统化|url=http://www.haiyang.gov.cn/art/2019/7/23/art_14041_2477710.html|date=2019-07-23|publisher=海阳市人民政府|access-date=2020-09-17|archive-date=2022-03-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331132453/http://www.haiyang.gov.cn/art/2019/7/23/art_14041_2477710.html}} It uses sea launch platforms to perform launch missions in the exclusive economic zone outside China's territorial waters or in coastal waters. It can accept launch missions from private commercial rockets.

The first launch mission was serial number HY1 mission of Long March 11 on 04:06, 5 June 2019, which was successful in the Yellow Sea.{{cite web |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/06/china-first-sea-launch-long-march-11-seven-satellites/ |title=China conducts first Sea Launch mission with Long March 11 launch of seven satellites |work=NASASpaceflight.com |first=Rui C. |last=Barbosa |date=5 June 2019 |access-date=5 June 2019}} The recent launch was the first launch of Gravity-1 on 13:30, 11 January 2024, which was successful in the Yellow Sea.{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Andrew |url=https://spacenews.com/orienspace-breaks-chinese-commercial-launch-records-with-gravity-1-solid-rocket/ |title=Orienspace breaks Chinese commercial launch records with Gravity-1 solid rocket |work=SpaceNews |date=11 January 2024 |access-date=11 January 2024}}

See also

References

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

{{Spaceport}}{{CNSA space program}}

{{Chinese space facilities and organizations}}

{{Chinese launch complexes}}

Category:Buildings and structures in Shanxi

Category:Chinese space program facilities

Category:Spaceports in China

Category:People's Liberation Army Aerospace Force Bases

Category:Corps grade units of the armed forces of China