China's southernmost and newest major launch site, purpose-built for large rockets. The Tianhe-1 core module of the Chinese Space Station launched from here in 2021. China's only coastal launch site.
A launch site's latitude determines which orbits are achievable and at what fuel cost. Wenchang at 19.6143°N sets the following constraints:
From 19.6143°N, Wenchang can reach 5 Starlink inclination shells: 28.5° (equatorial belt), 43°, 53°, 70°, 97.6° SSO (polar).
Trains launched to higher inclinations are visible from more of the world. A 97° SSO train from Wenchang would be visible at virtually every latitude; a 53° train is visible from latitudes up to ±40° (primarily) — mostly tropical and subtropical regions. In the hours after launch — before satellites raise their orbits — a tight train of 20–60 bright dots crosses the sky roughly every 90 minutes. Use OrbitalNodes' Starlink tracker for exact train pass times.
Wenchang Space Launch Site is located at 19.6143°N, 110.9512°E in Hainan, China. It is owned and operated by CNSA (China National Space Administration). The site has conducted approximately 30 orbital launches since its first in 2016.
Current vehicles operating from Wenchang Space Launch Site include Long March 5, Long March 7. Primary customers are CNSA, launching Tianhe space station core, Chang'e lunar missions, heavy GEO satellites.
At 19.6143°N, Wenchang's minimum achievable inclination is 19.6° (due-east launch). The ISS at 51.6° is reachable with a dogleg manoeuvre. The site can reach orbits between roughly 20° and 98° inclination.
Yes — Wenchang Space Launch Site hosts a moderate cadence of approximately 8 orbital launches per year. Check the operator's website for public viewing arrangements and launch windows.
Satellites regularly launched from Wenchang include Tianhe space station core, Chang'e lunar missions, heavy GEO satellites. The ISS was supplied or crew-launched from sites at similar latitudes. Use OrbitalNodes to track any visible satellite in real time.
Wenchang at 19.6143°N was positioned to access the full range of low-Earth orbits including the ISS corridor. The site has been operational since 2016.
See all launch sites: Launch site directory →