China launches maritime mission control

Custom-built ship to run open-sea rocket launches

China has taken a significant leap in its commercial space ambitions with the launch of the Dongfang Hengyuan, the nation's first highend marine engineering vessel tailor-made for the entire life cycle of maritime rocket launches.

Launched on March 11 at Huanghai Shipbuilding in Weihai, Shandong province, the vessel acts as a motionless mobile command center. It is designed to solve the complex logistical and meteorological challenges of launching satellites from the open sea — a key pillar of China's national strategy to expand its commercial space capabilities.