There are three major space launch bases in China: Jiuquan,
Taiyuan and Xichang. All three are located in sparsely populated
areas with flat terrain and broad field of vision.
Founded in 1958 in Gansu
Province, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center was the country's
earliest base and where most launches and tests have been
conducted.
It is huge -- about 2,800 square kilometers -- and the climate
means that around 300 days each year are suitable for launches. The
center is mainly used to send satellites into lower and medium
orbits with large orbital inclination angles. It is also capable of
testing medium- and long-range missiles. Many groundbreaking
launches have been made at Jiuquan.
A visit to Jiuquan
Jiuquan, a small town on north China's deserts, caught worldwide
attention in 1970 when China launched its first satellite, and has
since developed into a space city with a population of dozens of
thousands.
Now, Jiuquan is known as the starting point of China's "Space
Long March".
To visitors' surprise, in the town, local residents enjoy a
modern life as convenient as those who live in other parts of the
country.
In addition to schools, cinemas, sports facilities, restaurants,
beauty parlors and shops, there are telephone, TV and Internet
services in the city. Visitors can buy souvenirs like the miniature
models of rocket carriers and spacecraft.
The town is full of clues that give hints to visitors where they
are. One may come up with a street called "Road Space", a hotel
with the name of "Sky Flying", and street lamps in the shape of a
rocket.
Visitors may also spot numerous pictures of top scientists for
China's programs of strategic weapons and space technology.
Only army barracks, the residence of Chinese astronauts and
other places guarded by soldiers give a sense of secrecy to
outsiders, reminding them that they have come into a place that is
different to others.
The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, which was built up in
1958,is the only site to project manned vehicles in the country. So
far, it has witnessed the launching of 37 satellites and five
spacecraft. It is where China launched the first Chinese-made
missile, satellite, long-range rocket carrier, rocket carrying
three satellites, unmanned spacecraft and manned spacecraft.
At the launch site, there is a workshop where two 58.3
meter-tall Long-March rocket carriers can be assembled at one time.
There are two special rails that lead to the launch pad 1,500
meters afar.
The launch site also serves as the first emergency escape area
for astronauts and the standby return site for spacecraft, when the
main landing site encounters winds at a speed of 15 meters or more
per second, or other factors that may prevent aircraft and vehicles
from moving to search for returned spacecraft and astronauts.
The search task force at the standby site is composed of four
helicopters, three special ambulances and passenger vehicles for
astronauts, and a medical team.
If the spacecraft lands in the other parts of the country,
aircraft and a parachute squad will be sent for the search. Once
the target is found, a large transport plane will fly to an airport
close to the target, with three special vehicles of the rescuers
aboard.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2005)