China's first commercial spacecraft launch site ready

The coastal location also gives HICAL an advantage in its recovery of reusable rockets after launch. The company is working with commercial rocket developers to carry out experiments related to vertical landings and the recovery of rockets from the sea.

It said the launch site is designed with two launch pads for liquid propellant rockets and another two for solid propellant rockets, with its No 1 and No 2 launch pads completed in December 2023 and June 2024, respectively.

The No 1 pad is designed for the Long March-8, China's new generation medium-lift carrier rocket. The No 2 pad is capable of launching multiple types of rockets with various diameters from commercial rocket companies. Each pad has an annual capacity of 16 launches.

The propellant and gas supply system at the launch site is capable of refueling and supplying liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen, kerosene and methane.