Author Topic: Wenchang Space Launch Site [WSLS] | Hainan Commercial Spaceport [HCS]  (Read 142391 times)

Offline Satori

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Offline Satori

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Offline Satori

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Offline wbhh

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national ZiWu project will share resource with Wenchang launch center
http://www.meridianproject.ac.cn/

Offline Satori

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« Last Edit: 09/14/2009 09:50 am by Satori »

Offline Satori

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From China Daily via People's Daily, Space center takes giant leap forward.

Offline Satori

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Offline summit2

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Following chinese articles, here is what I find with google hearth ... looks like a launch pad 2K ... maybe ....

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A new thread dedicated the Hainan Satellite Launch Center where we can have informations, pictures, maps and the history of this Chinese space complex.

Offline input~2

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AFAIU, the full name is Hainan Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, the short form is Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (WSLC)

Offline Satori

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AFAIU, the full name is Hainan Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, the short form is Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (WSLC)

Ok, changing the threads title.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Some latest photos by Worldview 1 taken on January 19th seems to show that WSLC will feature two VABs and two launch pads, although the resolution is too low to show the details...
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Offline ChileVerde

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Some latest photos by Worldview 1 taken on January 19th seems to show that WSLC will feature two VABs and two launch pads, although the resolution is too low to show the details...

Could you provide an English version of the captions, please?
"I can’t tell you which asteroid, but there will be one in 2025," Bolden asserted.

Offline Galactic Penguin SST

Some latest photos by Worldview 1 taken on January 19th seems to show that WSLC will feature two VABs and two launch pads, although the resolution is too low to show the details...

Could you provide an English version of the captions, please?

Here you go (note that the identifications are merely speculation between forum members on a Chinese aerospace forum).
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Offline Phillip Clark

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If there are indeed two CZ-5 VABs then I wonder how many vehicles each VAB could accomodate at once?   Maybe four simultaneous assemblies?
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Offline Galactic Penguin SST

If there are indeed two CZ-5 VABs then I wonder how many vehicles each VAB could accomodate at once?   Maybe four simultaneous assemblies?

The big question is whether the CZ-7 series will be launched from WSLC? So far I have not seen a clear answer (even from Chinese soruces).

P.S. The Chinese have little problem with YF-100, their next generation kerolox engine (it's already doing gimballing and acceptance tests right now), but their "half-a-Vulcain" YF-77 engine for the CZ-5 is seriously behind schedule. This, plus that the Chinese has only just completed a prototype for the 5 meter diameter hydrogen fuel tank, means that first launch in 2015 will be hard to hit. And the CZ-7 does not seems to be a priority right now....
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Offline ChileVerde

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If there are indeed two CZ-5 VABs then I wonder how many vehicles each VAB could accomodate at once?   Maybe four simultaneous assemblies?

The big question is whether the CZ-7 series will be launched from WSLC? So far I have not seen a clear answer (even from Chinese soruces).

P.S. The Chinese have little problem with YF-100, their next generation kerolox engine (it's already doing gimballing and acceptance tests right now), but their "half-a-Vulcain" YF-77 engine for the CZ-5 is seriously behind schedule. This, plus that the Chinese has only just completed a prototype for the 5 meter diameter hydrogen fuel tank, means that first launch in 2015 will be hard to hit. And the CZ-7 does not seems to be a priority right now....

Very interesting.

Just for the record, this showed up this morning:

Quote
http://english.cri.cn/6909/2012/02/05/2821s679220.htm

China's New Rockets Expected to Debut Within Five Years
2012-02-05 21:32:25   
Xinhua     
Web Editor: liuranran

China's new generations of the Long March rocket family, Long March-5, -6 and -7 are expected to make their maiden flights in the next five years, a rocket scientist [, Yu Menglun,] has said.

[snip]

Long March-5 rocket will be using non-toxic and pollution-free propellant. It has a maximum low Earth-orbit payload capacity of 25 tonnes and geosynchronous orbit payload capacity of 14 tonnes.

The Long March-6, which is designed to be a high-speed response launch vehicle, has a minimum of 1 tonne of sun-synchronous orbit payload, according to the scientist.

The Long March-7 has a maximum low Earth-orbit payload capacity of 13.5 tonnes and 5.5 tonnes of sun-synchronous orbit payload, he said.

[snip]

Currently, a fourth launch center is being built in Wenchang in the island province of Hainan. The Wenchang launch center is expected to be put into use within two or three years, according to Yu.

I would like to see some discussion of the requirements that led to the LM-6.  To my eye it looks military, but that's probably just me.
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Online edkyle99

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Some latest photos by Worldview 1 taken on January 19th seems to show that WSLC will feature two VABs and two launch pads, although the resolution is too low to show the details...

Could you provide an English version of the captions, please?

Here you go (note that the identifications are merely speculation between forum members on a Chinese aerospace forum).

I would not be ready to immediately interpret the image as showing sites for "two VABs".  The diverging path might lead to a parking/service area for mobile launch platforms, for example.  Or it might run to a payload preparation facility.  Etc.  Two completely separate vertical assembly buildings doesn't make sense to me, given the dual high-bay setup at Jiuquan.  Also note that Jiuquan has separate road and rail rights of way running toward the pad areas from different directions. 

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 02/06/2012 10:39 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline ChileVerde

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I would not be ready to immediately interpret the image as showing sites for "two VABs".  The diverging path might lead to a parking/service area for mobile launch platforms, for example.  Or it might run to a payload preparation facility.  Etc.  Two completely separate vertical assembly buildings doesn't make sense to me, given the dual high-bay setup at Jiuquan.  Also note that Jiuquan has separate road and rail rights of way running toward the pad areas from different directions. 

 - Ed Kyle


Does anybody know how much it would cost to buy the high-resolution image from DigitalGlobe?
"I can’t tell you which asteroid, but there will be one in 2025," Bolden asserted.

Offline ChileVerde

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Some latest photos by Worldview 1 taken on January 19th seems to show that WSLC will feature two VABs and two launch pads, although the resolution is too low to show the details...

I thought I'd posted this earlier, but don't find it now. At any rate, it's another browse image taken on 5 June 2011. There seems to have been a fair amount of change between then and the Jan 19 image.
"I can’t tell you which asteroid, but there will be one in 2025," Bolden asserted.

 

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