Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
Launch site in China / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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38.8491°N 111.608°E / 38.8491; 111.608
Location | Kelan, Xinzhou, Shanxi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 38°50′56.71″N 111°36′30.59″E | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Short name | TSLC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator | CASC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total launches | 121[lower-alpha 1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch pad(s) | Four (Three active and One Retired) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launch history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Active | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC)[1] also known as Base 25 (Chinese: 二十五基地), is a People's Republic of China space and defense launch facility (spaceport). It is situated in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province and is the second of four launch sites having been founded in March 1966 and coming into full operation in 1968.
The facility was built as part of China's Third Front campaign to develop basic industry and national security in China's rugged interior in case of invasion by the Soviet Union or the United States.[2]
Taiyuan sits at an altitude of 1500 meters and its dry climate makes it an ideal launch site. The site is primarily used to launch meteorological satellites, Earth resource satellites and scientific satellites on Long March launch vehicles into Sun-synchronous orbits. TSLC is also a major launch site for intercontinental ballistic missiles and overland submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) tests.
The site has a sophisticated Technical Center and Mission Command and Control Center. It is served by two feeder railways that connect with the Ningwu–Kelan railway.[1]