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Hainan possesses several advantages for commercial launches in China

According to experts, the island's latitude allows for a 10-15% payload increase

HAIKOU /China/, February 2. /TASS/. Hainan Island has a number of important advantages that allow the Wenchang Space Launch Center to be used as a key Chinese facility for commercial launches into space. This was reported by the Economic Daily newspaper.

The paper refers to a comment made by a representative of China's aerospace industry saying that the Chinese authorities have chosen Wenchang in Hainan for commercial projects because of geographic advantages, favorable socio-economic factors and safety reasons. According to official calculations, all this allows for significant cost savings.

Hainan's latitudes make it possible to increase the payloads that rockets can deliver into orbit by 10-15%. On top of that, the trajectories of the carriers launched from the launch pad in Wenchang pass over the sea, not over densely populated areas.

The spaceport is located on the coast, which makes it easier to transport heavy and large launch vehicles by sea directly to the launch site. The Meilan International Airport and the high-speed railroad are not far from Wenchang, and this infrastructure makes it much easier for tourists to visit the site.

According to the newspaper's source, the authorities are actively supporting the development of the local aerospace industry, contributing to the creation of a developed industrial cluster. The Wenchang International Space City is one of 11 zones of advanced innovative development in the province. Going forward, Hainan plans to "maximize the benefits of a free trade port and launch pad, which will play a major role in [China's] commercial launch activities.

Hainan is essential for the development of China's space industry. Wenchang, in the northeast of the island, is one of China's four space launch sites and the only place in the country where technical conditions allow for the launch of the CZ-7A (Chang Zheng 7A), the longest (60.7 m) rocket of national design.

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