China's Hainan commercial spaceport finishes two new launch pads, eyes 60 launches a year

China’s first commercial spaceport in Wenchang, Hainan, has completed construction of its multi-user Commercial Launch Pads 3 and 4, with the Long March 10B’s transporter-erector already performing integration tests at Pad 3 (China in Space).

The pads were completed on 29 September 2026, one year, eight months and four days after phase-two construction began. Final propellant-systems proof testing — loading liquid methane into storage tanks and pipelines after prior liquid-nitrogen verification — concluded on 22 September. Both pads can now support launch missions, though the shared commodity supply systems will need filling ahead of a first launch. The Long March 10B transporter-erector has been at Pad 3 since 18 September, where it was moved upright and joined a test of the shared water-deluge system (China in Space).

The expected first mission is the second flight of the Long March 10B, reflying the booster recovered in July, in the fourth quarter of 2026 (China in Space).

China Daily reports the site has completed 14 of 20 planned launches this year, with more than 30 planned for next year. Once all four pads are proven in flight, the site targets about 60 launches a year, each new pad rated for up to three launches a month (KeepTrack). The surge in demand is driven by the dense deployment of China’s low-orbit satellite-internet constellations (China Daily).

The province is building an industry around the port: the first phase of iSpace’s reusable-rocket assembly, testing and refurbishment plant has opened, and Wenchang’s satellite megafactory has entered trial production, with its first satellite scheduled by year-end (China Daily).