Xichang Satellite Launching Center is situated 60 kilometers northwest of Xichang, the capital city of the Liangshan Yi Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, and 400 km from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. It is designed mainly to launch powerful thrust rockets and geostationary satellites. 


Established in 1970, the center was completed in 1983 and started operating the following year. Since April 24, 1970, it has succeeded in launching over 32 space vehicles, including China's first experimental communications satellite, first operational communications satellite, and first combined communications and broadcast satellite, that has earned Xichang the title 'China's Space City'. 

Xichang has two launch pads: one for the launch of 
geostationary communications satellites and meteorological satellites by Long March CZ-3 rockets and the other for the lift-off of Long March CZ-2 strap-on launch vehicle and the Long March CZ-3 series rockets. 

The ideal time for launching satellites from Xichang is from October to May. Known for its agreeable weather and picturesque scenes, most pictures shown on Chinese television of rockets taking off are shot here, and the launching center is attracting more and more tourists and visitors. Today, the launching center is open to visitors from at home and abroad, who may choose to go there in time for the Yi people's Torch Festival.

In order to provide a better transportation and touristy facilities to the visitors, the city government plans to make tourism as a pillar industry in the coming ten years. Currently, the city is building a number of infrastructure projects like roads, railways and telecommunications facilities to lay a sound foundation for the future development. 

There are another two launching centers in China besides Xichang. One is Jiuquan launching center in Gansu Province, which is the country's earliest base founded in 1958; the other one is Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Kelan County of Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province, which was founded in March 1966 and came into full operation in 1968.