Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is a People's Republic of
China space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) in the Gobi
desert in Gansu Province located about 1,600 km from Beijing.
It was founded in 1958, making it China's first spaceport
of three, compared with the later Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Center and Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Jiuquan is usually used to launch vehicles into lower and
medium orbits, as well as medium- to long-range missiles.
The launch center has been the focus of many of China's successful
ventures into space, including their first satellite Dong
Fang Hong 1 in 1970, and their first manned space mission
Shenzhou 5 on October 15, 2003. |
