Wenchang Space Launch Center

A Long March-5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 spacecraft, blasts off from its launchpad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, May 3, 2024. [Xinhua/Guo Cheng]

The Wenchang Space Launch Center (WSLC) in south China's Hainan province, is the nation's only coastal launch site and will play a key role in future manned space missions. 

The WSLC was constructed over a five-year period from 2009 to 2014. In 2016, China's latest series of carrier rockets, the Long March-7 and Long March-5 both made their maiden flights from the center. 

WSLC is administered by the central government and primarily tasked with serving State programs. There are three more such centers in China, located in Jiuquan in Gansu province, Taiyuan in Shanxi province and Xichang in Sichuan province.