Sleepy Longlou on countdown to becoming the Cape Kennedy of Hainan
Hamlet next to Wenchang launch centre begins its long march from husking coconuts to hustling space rocket watchers
Tens of thousands of tourists flocked to the beaches in southern China on Saturday night to watch the first rocket launch at China’s southernmost launch complex. The dark sky lit up in a thunderous blaze as rocket lifted skywards at 8pm before disappearing out of sight within seconds as watchers cheered with delight.
It was also the maiden flight of the new generation Long March-7 rocket, which is fueled by more economical and environmentally friendly liquid oxygen and kerosene, state media reported.
Eight viewing sites for the launch, the largest accommodating 7,000 people, were packed with tourists and tents.
Shang Linqiang, who travelled from eastern Jiangsu Province to Hainan with his wife, arrived at one beach site at noon, eight hours before the launch, to get a parking spot. “This opportunity is unprecedented,” Shang said.
Earlier in the day, police blocked main roads leading to the Wenchang Satellite Launch Centre and in nearby Longlou, a town of about 20,000 residents on the east coast of the island province.