LC-43, Jiuquan Space Launch Center (JSLC), China

Jiuquan Space Launch Center (JSLC), China

Jiuquan Space Launch Center (JSLC): China’s Oldest Spaceport

The Jiuquan Space Launch Center (JSLC), also known as the Shuangchengzi Missile Test Center, is a major Chinese space vehicle launch facility. It is located between Ejin, Alxa, Inner Mongolia, and Hangtian Town, Jinta County, Jiuquan, Gansu Province. The spaceport is part of Dongfeng Aerospace City (Base 10) and sits on both sides of the Ruo Shui River. Although 95% of the facility is in Jinta County, Jiuquan, the center is named after the city of Jiuquan.

History and Operations

Founded in 1958, JSLC is China’s first spaceport. Like most Chinese launch facilities, it is remote and restricted to foreign visitors.

JSLC primarily supports low and medium Earth orbit launches with large orbital inclination angles and is also used for medium- to long-range missile testing. The site includes state-of-the-art facilities such as:

• Technical Center(for satellite and rocket integration)
• Launch Complex
• Launch Control Center
• Mission Command and Control Center
• Logistical support systems

Major Milestones

JSLC has been a key site for China’s space program, hosting several historic missions: 

• 1970: China’s first satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, was launched.
• 2003: China’s first crewed spaceflight, Shenzhou 5, took off on October 15.
• 2016: The world’s first quantum communication satellite, Quantum Experiments at Space Scale, launched in August.
• 2018–2019: Chinese private rocket companies, including i-Space and OneSpace, launched suborbital and orbital rockets. The first private orbital launch in China occurred on July 25, 2019, when i-Space launched Hyperbola-1.

As of 2021, all Chinese crewed spaceflights, including missions to the Tiangong space station, have launched from JSLC.

Launch Complexes at JSLC

JSLC has two main launch complexes, each with multiple launch sites.
 

North Launch Complex (Inactive)

Previously used for ballistic missile tests and orbital launches, this complex is no longer active.

• Launch Area 2: Used for early orbital and missile launches.

         -LA-2A: Hosted DF-3 and DF-5 missile launches and China’s first orbital launch with the CZ-1 rocket (last used in 1971).

         -LA-2B: Used for CZ-2A, CZ-2C, CZ-2D, operated by CGWIC, and FB-1 launches (last used in 1996).

• Launch Area 3: Located 7 km south of LA-2, used for DF-1, DF-2, and R-2 missile launches.

South Launch Complex (Active)

This is JSLC’s primary operational launch site, used for Long March rockets, operated by CGWIC,  and commercial launches.

Launch Area 4: Located 37.9 km south of Launch Area 3.

• SLS-1 (LS-43/91): Used since 1999 for crewed Long March 2F launches, with a nearby Vertical Assembly Facility.
• SLS-2 (LS-43/94): Active since 2003, launching Long March 2C, 2D, 4B, and 4C rockets.

Commercial Launch Pads

JSLC has several commercial launch pads south and east of Launch Area 4, supporting small launch vehicles from government and private companies.

LS-95 (Two Pads)

• Pad A: Conducted 47 launch attempts since 2013 (first: Kuaizhou-1, last: Kuaizhou-1A on January 11, 2024).
• Pad B: Hosted only 5 launches.

LS-96

• Operated by LandSpace for the Zhuque-2 rocket.
• Hosted3 launches, 2 of which were successful.

LS-120

• Operated by Space Pioneer for Tianlong-2 rockets.
• Conducted1 successful launch so far.

LS-130

• Operated by CAS Spacefor Kinetica-1 rockets.
• Successfully launched 3 times.

Summary

JSLC remains China’s most significant spaceport, supporting crew missions, commercial launches, and military tests. With ongoing private sector involvement, it is evolving into a key hub for China’s growing space ambitions.