China's first commercial spacecraft launch site marked its dual-pad readiness for future missions on Wednesday, with a group of 18 low Earth orbit satellites being launched aboard the Long March-8 Y6 carrier rocket.
The satellite group was launched from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in south China's Hainan Province at 00:38 Wednesday.
The satellites, the fifth group of its kind, have entered the preset orbit successfully, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). They will constitute China's commercial internet constellation Spacesail.
This mission marks the inaugural launch from the site's No. 1 launch pad, which, following the inaugural launch from the No. 2 pad on Nov. 30, 2024, signifies the dual-pad readiness of China's first commercial spaceport for future missions.
The No. 1 launch pad, standing 83 meters tall, is tailored for the Long March-8 rocket. It features a modular steel structure design and employs a dual-direction flame deflection cone for cooling and noise reduction for the first time, enhancing rapid reuse capabilities.
The launch pad now supports a seven-day launch and seven-day reset cycle, crucial for meeting surging launch demands.
The construction of the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site commenced in July 2022. It completed its first launch mission in November 2024.
Now it is advancing the construction of the phase II project.
The Long March-8 rocket, developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the CASC, is a medium-lift liquid-fueled rocket optimized for cost-effective, multi-satellite launches to low- and medium-Earth orbits.
The mission marks the 563rd flight of the Long March rocket family, the pillar of China's space transport system.
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site marks dual-pad readiness with launch of 18 satellites
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site marks dual-pad readiness with launch of 18 satellites
China's first commercial spacecraft launch site marks dual-pad readiness with launch of 18 satellites
The series of erroneous words and actions by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi not only seriously deviate from the spirit of pacifist Constitution of the country but also further exacerbate regional tensions, said Tomoko Tamura, a member of the House of Representatives.
In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Tamura criticized Takaichi for straining Japan-China relations by making erroneous remarks on Taiwan, calling on her to improve bilateral relations.
Tamura pointed out that the political consensus reached during the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries remains of great significance, and Japan should respect and abide by it as the basis for repairing and rebuilding friendly relations with China.
"The erroneous remarks by Sanae Takaichi this time have led to the deterioration of China-Japan relations. This is absolutely unacceptable and must be retracted. Regarding the relations between two sides, the consensus reached during the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1972 is of utmost importance. At that time, the Chinese government asserted that Taiwan is part of China and the Japanese government fully understood and respected this stance. Now we should reaffirm this consensus, as well as the crucial agreements reached by both countries after 1972. Japan should explicitly acknowledge these significant agreements to rebuild friendly relations with China," she said.
Tamura also pointed out that in recent years, Japan has attempted to reshape its security policy, boosting defense spending, easing arms-export restrictions, pursuing offensive weapons development, and clearly deviating from the fundamental principle of "exclusively defense-oriented" policy.
"Japan's possession of long-range missiles clearly exceeded the scope of 'exclusively defense-oriented' policies. Japan is accelerating its military expansion. From the perspective of the Japanese constitution, this is absolutely not allowed. We are deeply concerned about the current Takaichi administration's disregard for the Japanese constitution. We clearly demand that Japan should adhere to the position of resolving issues through diplomatic efforts," she said.
Japanese official criticizes Takaichi's erroneous remarks
