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Over 70 licensed launch facilities now operate globally — 20 commissioned since 2020.
| Attribute | Wenchang Space Launch Site 🇨🇳 China Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Andoya Spaceport 🇳🇴 Norway Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Operator-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Baikonur Cosmodrome 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA / PLA Strategic Support Force | Andoya Space | Roscosmos |
| Ownership | State Enterprise | State Enterprise | International Consortium |
| Region | 🇨🇳 China | 🇳🇴 Norway | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan |
| Launch pads | 2 (LC-1 Long March 5/7; LC-2 Long March 8)as of [1] | 2 sounding rocket rails; 1 orbital pad under developmentas of [1] | 9 active (Soyuz-2 × 3, Proton-M × 2, Zenit × 1, Zenith-3SLB, and reserve pads)as of [1]Many historic pads retired; total complex has 52 pads historically ↑ Most pads |
| Annual launches | ~10as of [1] | 6–10 suborbitalas of [1]Orbital launches pending; sounding rocket campaigns only through 2026 | ~15as of [1] |
| Max payload (LEO) | 25,000 kg to LEO (Long March 5B)as of [1] ↑ Highest capacity | suborbital only (< 1,000 kg payload to apogee)as of [1]Orbital LV commercial contracts under negotiation as of Q1 2026 | 22,800 kg to LEO (Proton-M)as of [1] |
| First operational launch | 2016-11-03as of [1]Long March 5 Y1 inaugural flight; China's most powerful rocket first launch | 1962-08-18as of [1]First sounding rocket from Andøya Island; orbital capability planned late 2020s | 1957-10-04as of [1]Sputnik 1 — first artificial Earth satellite ever launched |
| Regulatory regime | Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) | Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry & Fisheries + Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA); aligned with EASA airspace coordination | Roscosmos (lease through 2050) / Kazakhstan KazCosmos co-oversight under 1994 lease agreement |
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