Chen makes 3D-printed rocket models and aerospace education products. The money is modest for now – enough, he says, to cover little more than basic living expenses – but he hopes eventually to start his own company and remain in Wenchang.
His ambitions reflect a much bigger bet being made by his hometown.
Long known for its coconut groves and famous Wenchang chicken, the city is now betting on rockets to power its next chapter.
For Wenchang, experts said, the challenge is no longer just getting rockets into space – it is getting the economy around them to take off too.
Officials are pursuing that goal by building an aerospace ecosystem spanning rockets, satellites, data applications and tourism, as part of China’s broader national push to develop aerospace as a strategic emerging industry.
The harder test is whether that ecosystem can create lasting businesses, investment and jobs.
WHY WENCHANG?
Wenchang’s advantage starts with where it sits.
At about 19 degrees north, it is relatively close to the equator, where the Earth’s rotation gives rockets an extra boost during the launch, Gregg Li, professor and ambassador for NewSpace at the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) Laboratory for Space Research, told CNA.
