page_title: Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site
section_title: Launch history
hierarchical_section_title: Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site / Launch history
caption_attribution_description: English: Long March 5 Y2 was transporting from assembly building to 101 launch site in Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Center 中文: 长征五号遥二火箭由海南文昌发射场总装大楼转移至101发射工位的过程中拍摄
context_page_description: The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, located in Wenchang, Hainan, China, is a rocket launch site — one of the two spacecraft launch sites of Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
  It is a former suborbital test center. It is China's fourth and southernmost space vehicle launch facility. It has been specially selected for its low latitude, which is only 19° north of the equator, which will allow for an increase in payload necessary for launching China's future space station. It is capable of launching the Long March 5, currently the most powerful Chinese rocket.
  Unlike the space centers on the mainland whose rail tracks are too narrow to transport the new five meter core boosters, Wenchang uses its sea port for deliveries. Initial launches of the CZ-5 booster from Wenchang were, as of early 2008, expected in 2014, one year after the intended commissioning of the Wenchang Launch Site. The first launch of CZ-5 was later shifted to 2016, and took place on 3 November 2016. The CZ-5B variant was expected to fly around 2018 but the maiden flight took place 5 May 2020.
context_section_description: The first launch was a Long March 7 which took place successfully at 20:00, 25 June 2016. It was scheduled to lift off at 19:30 but was delayed half an hour.
  On 3 November 2016, Long March 5 rocket made its maiden flight from the launch site.
  A Long March 5 launched 2 July 2017 failed to complete its mission to put a seven-tonne Shijian-18 communications satellite into orbit approximately 1 hour after lift off at 11:23 UTC. Adding propellant started on 1 June 2017. The rocket had arrived at the base in early May where it was assembled and tested. The launch was broadcast live on television.
  The third flight of Long March 5 occurred on 27 December 2019 from Wenchang LC-1.
  The maiden flight of Long March 5B variant took place on 5 May 2020 from Wenchang LC-1.
  On 23 July 2020, the fourth flight of Long March 5 put China's first indigenous Mars orbiter/rover Tianwen-1 directly into TMI from Wenchang.
caption: The Long March 5 Y2 being transported from assembly building to 101 launch site.
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