CHINA has marked a major milestone in its commercial space ambitions with the launch of the Dongfang Hengyuan, the nation’s first high-end marine engineering vessel purpose-built to support the full lifecycle of maritime rocket launches.

Unveiled on March 11 at Huanghai Shipbuilding in Weihai, Shandong Province, the vessel serves as a stationary mobile command center. It is designed to overcome the logistical and meteorological challenges of sea-based satellite launches — a critical component of China’s strategy to expand commercial space capabilities.

Unlike conventional research ships adapted for space support, the Dongfang Hengyuan was purpose-designed by Harbin Engineering University to function as a specialized command and measurement hub. The vessel measures 77 meters in length, 17.8 meters in width, and 7.6 meters in depth, with a design draft of four meters and a displacement of 3,200 metric tons.

According to Zhang Guochang, a researcher at the university’s Yantai Research Institute and the vessel’s chief engineer, the Dongfang Hengyuan features an all-electric propulsion system and a cruising speed of 15 knots. Its dynamic positioning system enables it to serve as a stable command center at sea for launch operations and scientific observation.

Beyond its primary role in supporting open-sea launches, the vessel can also function as a floating laboratory and classroom. Scheduled for delivery in June, it will operate alongside the Oriental Spaceport launch vessel, significantly enhancing China’s maritime launch support capabilities. It will also collaborate with the Dongfang Hengjing maritime test platform for marine scientific research.

In May 2024, Harbin Engineering University secured the hydrological detection platform project, encompassing both the Dongfang Hengyuan and Dongfang Hengjing. The initiative aims to conduct comprehensive marine meteorological surveys — focusing on wind, wave, and current conditions critical to maritime launch and recovery — alongside studies of marine geology, seabed topography, and hydrology.

With the delivery of the maritime test platform in November and the launch of the Dongfang Hengyuan, the project has reached a solid foundation for completion. Key technologies developed by the university — including the DP2 dynamic positioning system, ultra-short baseline underwater positioning system, fiber optic gyrocompass, and real-time vibration and noise monitoring — have been applied on the vessel, turning research into practical outcomes.(SD-Agencies)