Beijing: China will build its fourth satellite launching centre in southernmost Hainan Province, which enjoys geographical and cost advantages, allowing the emerging space giant to tap the growing global satellite launch market and challenge Western and Indian rivals.

The site of the new satellite launching centre is Wenchang, about 60 km from provincial capital Haikou. The new site will mainly be used for launching synchronous satellites, heavy satellites, large space stations and deep space probe satellites, according to the plan which has been approved by the Chinese cabinet and the Central Military Commission, the top military organ.

Spread over 20 sq km, the Wenchang Satellite Launching Centre includes a space launching port, a space theme scientific park, a rocket assembling plant, a rocket launching base and the command centre, earlier reports said. Hainan is located in a low-latitude region, which increases the capacity of rocket carriers and extends the life span of satellites, Xinhua news agency reported. A lower latitude launching site has a larger centrifugal force which lowers the cost of the launch. "Hainan is China's closest site to the equator, so much energy could be saved if a satellite base is built in the place," said Long Lehao, an expert in carrier rocket and member of Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Wenchang is at 11 degrees east and 19 degrees north latitude in north-eastern Hainan. The low latitude will enable the actual load efficiency to increase by 7.4 per cent at the base, said Long. The new base can add 300 kg more rocket load, saving $6 million in load expenses (cost on rocket load is about $20,000 per kg in the world).