‘They watch and leave’: China’s rocket hub Wenchang wants launch-day crowds to stay longer and fuel tourism

Chen Huanpeng starts chasing the rocket before it reaches the launch pad. Days before liftoff, the 23-year-old and other enthusiasts track launch vehicles through Longlou, the coastal area locals call “Rocket Town.” They wait beside coconut trees and grazing cattle for the best filming angles.

Rocket launches have become part of daily life in Wenchang, Chen said. Between filming stops, the group meets over laoba cha, Hainan’s traditional tea ritual, to review footage and discuss upcoming launches. The conversations increasingly turn to business. Chen makes 3D-printed rocket models and aerospace education products, earning enough for basic living expenses while hoping to build a company in Wenchang.

His plans match the city’s larger ambition. Wenchang, once known mainly for coconut groves and Wenchang chicken, is looking to rockets for its next phase of growth. Officials want to create an aerospace ecosystem covering rockets, satellites, data applications and tourism, in line with China’s effort to develop aerospace as a strategic emerging industry.

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It shows that rocket launches in Wenchang have already become part of everyday life

The city’s geography gives it a strong starting point. At about 19 degrees north, Wenchang lies relatively close to the equator, allowing the Earth’s rotation to provide rockets with an additional boost during launch, according to Gregg Li of the University of Hong Kong’s Laboratory for Space Research. Its coastline also allows rockets to arrive by ship, simplifying transport compared with China’s inland launch sites, said Blaine Curcio of Orbital Gateway Consulting.

That advantage has brought visitors, but many watch a launch and leave. Wenchang’s harder task is to make the surrounding economy take off as well, creating durable companies, investment and employment beyond launch day.

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Wenchang, being coastal, you can put a rocket on a ship and send it down there