![]() Since the Kennedy Space Center neighbours the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, there is a strong partnership between the two and, often, they are both referred to as Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Thus, Kennedy is also a handy few hours by bike from Orlando. Today, that land is the Kennedy Space Center, officially active since 1962. In 1961, Nasa purchased Merritt Island in Florida, which was used to conduct research and work on the Apollo Lunar Landing Program. Jiuquan Space Launch Center is, quite frankly, a long way from major cities, so pack the essentials if you intend to visit. It will also be part of the Shenzou programme, also known as Project 921, which has been active since 1992. In October 2023, in addition, Shenzou-17 is expected to launch as well. Shenzou-16 is the first flight of the second-generation Shenzhou spacecraft, which has several updates and improvements compared with Shenzou-15. More recently, in May 2023, the Shenzou-16 mission departed from the Jiuquan Space Launch Center. In 2016, China’s first quantum communication satellite was launched from here and, in 2019, the first private orbital launch in China departed from the centre. ![]() In 1992, this spaceport successfully completed its first international mission, in collaboration with the Swedish Space Corporation Freja. The first-ever Chinese satellite, DFH-1, was launched into orbit from the Jiuquan Space Launch Center on board an LM-1 spacecraft in 1970. ![]() Since then, it has been mainly used for scientific and research purposes, launching recoverable satellite missions. It was established in 1958 and is the country’s first site with satellite launch facilities. The Jiuquan Space Launch Center in China deserves the third spot as the most active spaceport since it recorded 23 launches in 2022 and predicts nine for 2023. And Google Maps has it as a not-too-bad three-hour drive from downtown LA. ![]() Today, it is the second most active spaceport in the world, with 15 launches in 2023 and 16 recorded in 2022. Space Launch Delta 30 is the host unit at Vandenberg and it supported some of the main Vandenberg projects, such as the Air Force Shuttle Program and the Peacekeeper ballistic missile development programme. In addition, the Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) started research on launching vehicles, as well as continuing with the construction of the Vandenberg launch facility. The same year designated the beginning of the space race between the US and Russia and, in 1958, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) took control of the operational capability of the missile force. In 1957, Vandenberg was transformed into the US’s West Coast space and missile facility by the US Air Force. This spaceport was born as Camp Cooke US Army garrison in 1941 and was used to house infantry, tanks and artillery to prepare for the Second World War and the Korean War. Spread across 99,604 acres of land, Vandenberg Air Force Base includes 16 launch facilities and the second-largest airfield runway in the US Department of Defense, amounting to 15,000ft. Cape Canaveral was the site of some of the first US space rocket launches, such as the first US Earth satellite in 1958, the first American astronaut in 1961, the first American spacecraft to go around Mars in 1971 and the first spacecraft to leave the Solar System in 1977.
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