China’s commercial space hub opening clashes with exploding rocket mishap

The Hainan island facility was built in record time with further expansion planned as experts predict a more cautious private aerospace sector

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A rocket launch simulation rehearsal on Sunday at China’s first commercial space hub in Hainan province, southern China. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:00pm, 2 Jul 2024Updated: 3:28pm, 2 Jul 2024

As China’s private aerospace industry reels from its first major accident, Sunday’s mishap in central China threatens to overshadow a significant achievement for the commercial space sector in the southern island province of Hainan.

On the same day that a “structural failure” sent the country’s most powerful rocket crashing into the outskirts of a city in Henan province, China’s first international commercial aerospace launch centre was declared operational in Hainan.

Yang Tianliang, chairman of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co Ltd (HICAL) said the site is scheduled to conduct its first rocket launches this year, marking the start of commercial operations.

“The plan is to expand the launch site with additional launch pads, and the aim is to provide both domestic and international rocket and satellite launch services, thereby accelerating the development of China’s commercial space technology,” he said.

The Hainan launch centre, which covers around 54 hectares (133 acres), is part of the country’s driving ambition to build its own satellite constellations, comparable to SpaceX’s Starlink.

Construction of the facility began in July 2022 with key infrastructure – including fuelling facilities, power substations, rocket assembly buildings and dual launch pads – completed within just 726 days.

State news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday that HICAL is working with rocket developers to carry out experiments related to vertical landings and the recovery of rockets from the sea.