Xichang Satellite Launch Center

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This article contains information regarding a launch site that is scheduled to launch a rocket in the next 8 hours.

Details may change as the countdown and ascent progress. Launch details: CALT will use a Long March 3B to launch Chinasat 9 for Chinasat. Launch will occur from LA-2 at Xichang.

Launch is believed to be scheduled for 9 June 2008 at 12:15 UTC. See 2008 in spaceflight and the Spaceflight Portal for further details.

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The Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) (Chinese: 西昌卫星发射中心; pinyin: Xīchāng Weìxīng Fāshè Zhōngxīn) also known as Base 27（二十七基地）, is a People’s Republic of China space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) approximately 64 km northwest of Xichang City in Sichuan Province.

The facility became operational in 1984 and is primarily used to launch powerful thrust rockets and geostationary communications and weather satellites. It is notable as the site of Sino-European space cooperation, with the launch of the first of two Double Star scientific satellites in December 2003. Chinese officials have indicated interest in conducting additional international satellite launches from XSLC.^[1]

In 1996, a fatal accident occurred when the rocket carrying the Intelsat 708 satellite failed on launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. It is also believed that a 2007 test of an anti-satellite missile occurred from the center.

XSLC’s Technical Center is state of the art and is equipped for testing and integration of the payload and launch vehicle. Its Mission Command and Control Center is located 7 km southwest of the launch pad and provides flight and safety control during overall system rehearsal and launch. It is serviced by a dedicated railway and highway directly from Xichang Qingshan Airport, which is 50 kilometers away from the launch site. Two launch complexes at the facility support flight operations.^[2]

1 History
2 China lunar exploration program
3 First Long March-3C carrier rocket
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

In order to support the chinese Project 714 manned space program in the 1960s, the construction of a new space center at Xichang in the Sichuan province was decided, located farther from the Soviet border, thus safer. The Shuguang One spacecraft was expected to be launched from the launch pad number one. After the cancellation of the program the launch pad was never completed. Today a viewing platform for officials has been built at the site. ^[3]

[edit] China lunar exploration program

On October 24, 2007, Chang'e 1, an un-manned Moon orbiter of the Chang'e program, was successfully launched from the facility, marking the beginning of China’s lunar exploration program.^[4]

[edit] First Long March-3C carrier rocket

China launched its first Long March-3C carrier rocket on April 25, 2008. This was the 105th mission of China's Long March series of rockets, and also the launch of the nation first data relay satellite (数据中继卫星) Tianlian I (天链一号). ^[5]