View source for Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

{{Coord|40|57|29|N|100|17|28|E|display=title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox building
| name                = Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
| native_name         = <big>酒泉卫星发射中心</big>
| native_name_lang    = chinese
| former_names        = 
| alternate_names     = Dongfeng Aerospace City
| status              = finished
| image               = Long March 2D launching off pad with VRSS-1.jpg
| image_alt           = 
| image_size          = 
| caption             = Launch of a [[Long March 2D|LM-2D]] at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
| map_type            = China Inner Mongolia
| map_alt             = 
| map_caption         = Location within Inner Mongolia
| location            = [[Ejin Banner|Ejin]], [[Alxa League|Alxa]], [[Inner Mongolia]]
| coordinates         = {{Coord|40|57|29|N|100|17|28|E|display=inline}}
| opened_date         = 1958
}}

{{Infobox Chinese
|title = {{nowrap|Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center}}
|s = {{nowrap|酒泉卫星发射中心}}
|t = {{nowrap|酒泉衛星發射中心}}
|p = {{nowrap|Jiǔquán wèixīng fāshè zhōngxīn}}
|mi = {{IPAc-cmn|j|iu|3|q|van|2|-|wei|4|x|ing|1|-|f|a|1|sh|e|4|-|zh|ong|1|x|in|1}}
|order = st
}}

[[File:Jiuquan Launch Center Vertical Assembly Building.png|thumb|The [[Long March 2F]] rocket with the [[Shenzhou 12]] spacecraft transferred from the vertical assembly test plant to the launch tower of the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center]]
[[File:Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center map.gif|thumb|Launch center map (2007)]]

'''Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center''' ('''JSLC'''; {{zh|c=酒泉卫星发射中心|p=Jiǔquán Wèixīng Fāshè Zhōngxīn}} also known as Shuangchengzi Missile Test Center; Launch Complex B2; formally Northwest Comprehensive Missile Testing Facility ({{lang|zh|西北综合导弹试验基地}}); Base 20; 63600 Unit)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nti.org/learn/facilities/71/|title=Jiuquan Space Launch Center - Facilities - NTI|website=www.nti.org|access-date=21 January 2019}}</ref> is a Chinese [[space vehicle]] launch facility ([[spaceport]]) located in the [[Gobi Desert]], [[Inner Mongolia]]. It is part of the '''Dongfeng Aerospace City''' (Base 10). Although the facility is geographically located within [[Ejin Banner]] of [[Inner Mongolia]]'s [[Alxa League]], it is named after the nearest city, [[Jiuquan]] in [[Gansu|Gansu Province]].  The launch center straddles both sides of the [[Ruo Shui]] river.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-asia-space-race/chinasidebar.html</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with sign.jpg|thumb|The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center sign]]
It was founded in 1958, the first of China's four spaceports. As with all Chinese launch facilities, it is remote and generally closed to foreigners.

The Satellite Launch Center is a part of Dongfeng Space City ({{lang|zh|东风航天城}}), also known as ''Base 10'' ({{lang|zh|十号基地}}) or ''Dongfeng base'' ({{lang|zh|东风基地}}).  The Dongfeng site  also includes [[PLAAF]] test flight facilities, a space museum and a martyr's cemetery ({{lang|zh|东风烈士陵园}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nmg.xinhuanet.com/nmgdcy/lvyou/2007-12/05/content_11855918.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724233031/http://www.nmg.xinhuanet.com/nmgdcy/lvyou/2007-12/05/content_11855918.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 24, 2009|title=航天科技游圣地——东风航天城 (The Jerusalem of the space tech journey-Dongfeng space city)|publisher=新华网内蒙古频道 (Xinhua network inner-Mongol channel)|date=December 5, 2007|access-date=May 7, 2008|language=zh}}</ref>

JSLC is usually used to launch vehicles into lower and medium orbits with large orbital inclination angles, as well as testing medium to long-range [[missiles]]. Its facilities are state of the art and provide support to every phase of a satellite launch campaign.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}} The site includes the Technical Center, the Launch Complex, the Launch Control Center, the Mission Command and Control Center and various other logistical support systems.

The center covers 2800&nbsp;km² and may have housing for as many as 20,000 people. The facilities and launch support equipment were likely modelled on Soviet counterparts and the [[Soviet Union]] likely provided technical support to Jiuquan.

The launch center has been the focus of many of China's ventures into space, including their first [[satellite]] [[Dong Fang Hong I]] 
in 1970, and their first [[manned space mission|crewed space mission]] ''[[Shenzhou 5]]'' on 15 October 2003.  As of 2021, all Chinese crewed space flights, meaning all flights in the [[Shenzhou program]] including crewed flights to the [[Tiangong space station]], have launched from Jiuquan.

In August 2016, China launched the first quantum communication satellite, the "[[Quantum Experiments at Space Scale]]", from the Center.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/33760-china-launches-quantum-communications-satellite.html|title=China Launches Pioneering 'Hack-Proof' Quantum-Communications Satellite|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=August 16, 2016|website=space.com|publisher=[[Space.com]]|access-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref>

In August 2018, Chinese private rocket manufacturing startups [[I-Space (Chinese company)|i-Space]] and [[OneSpace]] launched [[Sub-orbital spaceflight|sub-orbital]] rockets from the center.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://spacenews.com/chinese-startups-onespace-ispace-succeed-with-suborbital-launches/|title=Chinese startups OneSpace, iSpace succeed with suborbital launches|last=Jones|first=Andrew|date=2018-09-07 |access-date=2018-09-10}}</ref> On July 25, 2019, the first Chinese private orbital launch took place from Jiuquan as I-Space launched their Hyberbola-1 rocket.

==Launch pads==
* [[Jiuquan Launch Area 2|Launch Area 2]], 2 launch pads:
** LA-2A: [[Long March 1|CZ-1]], [[DF-3]], [[DF-5]]
** LA-2B: [[CZ-2A]], [[CZ-2C]], [[CZ-2D]], [[FB-1]]

The launch pads at Launch Area 2 are located at approximately 41.308833° north, 100.316512° east (north pad) and 41.306143° north, 100.313229° east (south pad).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.ca/maps |title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps|access-date=2017-06-15}}</ref>

* [[Jiuquan Launch Area 3|Launch Area 3]], 2 launch pads: [[Dongfeng (missile)#Dongfeng 1 (SS-2)|DF-1]], [[DF-2]], [[R-2 (missile)|R-2]].
Launch Area 3 is approximately 2.7&nbsp;km south of Launch Area 2. The launch pads are located at approximately 41.283190° north, 100.304706° east (north pad) and 41.280457° north, 100.304582° east (south pad).

* [[Jiuquan Launch Area 4|Launch Area 4]] (South Launch Site), 2 launch pads, only active complex: 
** SLS-1: [[CZ-2F]] launcher with nearby [[Vertical Assembly Facility]].
** SLS-2: CZ-2C, CZ-2D, CZ-4B, CZ-4C and CZ-11, operational since 2003
Launch Area 4 is approximately 37.9&nbsp;km south of Launch Area 3. The launch pads are located at approximately 40.960671° north, 100.298186° east (north pad) and 40.957893° north, 100.290944° east (south pad).

==See also==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
* [[Chinese space program]]
* [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center]] 
* [[Wenchang Satellite Launch Center]]
* [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center}}
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/world/china/jiuquan.htm Base 20 Jiuquan Space Facility] on GlobalSecurity.org

{{Chinese launch complexes}}
{{Chinese space facilities and organizations}}
{{CNSA space program}}
{{Spaceport}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Inner Mongolia]]
[[Category:Chinese space program facilities]]
[[Category:Spaceports in China]]
[[Category:Infrastructure completed in 1958]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in China]]
[[Category:Jiuquan]]
[[Category:Rocket launch sites]]