Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
太原卫星发射中心
Location
Alternative names	Base 25
General information
Status	Complete
Location	Kelan, Xinzhou, Shanxi
Coordinates	38°50′56.71″N 111°36′30.59″E / 38.8490861°N 111.6084972°E / 38.8490861; 111.6084972
Opening	1968

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) also known as Base 25 (Chinese: 二十五基地), is a People's Republic of China space and defence launch facility (spaceport). It is situated in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province and is the second of three launch sites having been founded in March 1966 and coming into full operation in 1968. Taiyuan sits at an altitude of 1500 meters and its dry weather makes it an ideal launch site. Confusingly, U.S. intelligence designates TSLC the 'Wuzhai Missile and Space Test Centre", despite the fact that the town of Wuzhai is located a considerable distance from the Taiyuan space launch facility.

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 ICBMs 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 Complex 1: CZ-1D, CZ-2C/SD, CZ-4A, CZ-4B and CZ-4C vehicles.^[1]

• Launch Complex 2: CZ-2C, CZ-4B and CZ-4C. First use on 25 October 2008.^[2]

Recent launches

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center will launch a satellite coded as the 03 Group of the Shijian-6 serial research satellites sometime on 2008-10-24. The rocket carrier will 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.^[4]

See also

• Space program of China
• Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
• Xichang Satellite Launch Center
• Wenchang Satellite Launch Center

References