Jiuquan

Jiuquan is a space launch center located in northwestern China. It serves as a primary site for launching Chinese spacecraft and conducting space-related experiments. Recently, Jiuquan has been the launch site for missions focused on advancing in-orbit servicing capabilities. These missions are newsworthy due to their potential to extend the lifespans of satellites and address the growing problem of space debris. A recent launch from Jiuquan involved the Hukeda-2 satellite, which successfully performed a refuelling test in low Earth orbit using a flexible robotic arm. Another mission involved the Qingzhou robotic craft, which conducted capture and towing operations on simulated space debris. These developments highlight China's increasing focus on space sustainability and its efforts to develop technologies for maintaining and cleaning up the space environment, making Jiuquan a significant location for these advancements.