Located in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) is one of the major space launch bases in China. It was designed mainly to launch spacecrafts including broadcast, communications and meteorological satellites into geo-stationary orbit.

The XSLC was first built in 1970 and completed in 1983. As a space center, the XSLC enjoys advantages such as geographical location and climate: high altitude, low latitude, pleasant climate all year around, flat terrain, broad field of vision and abundant water resources.

China's first communications satellite was launched here in January 1984. The XSLC also successfully launched the "Asia Sat 1" communications satellite into geosynchronous orbit in 1990.  

The Chang'e-1, China's first unmanned lunar probe, was successfully launched from here on October 24, 2007, making China the fifth country to develop and launch a lunar probe on its own, according to Xinhua News Agency. The first Long March-3C carrier rocket in the country was also launched from here on April 25, 2008. 

The XSLC sent a new remote-sensing satellite group into orbit on June 18, which was the 375th mission of the Long March rocket series. 

The XSLC is the first space center in China to open to the public as a scenic area, with an exhibition room showing the history of the center. Visitors can view satellite launches from a safe distance when there are scheduled missions, Li Heng, manager of a travel company which organizes trips to XSLC regularly told Global Times. 

The "Following CPC Footprints" series is a travel guide introducing 10 historical sites of great significance to the Communist Party of China (CPC) and recounting the story of the Chinese people's efforts in building a better nation under the leadership of the CPC in the past 100 years.

Following CPC footprints: Chinese Military Museum in Beijing

Following CPC footprints: Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre

Following CPC footprints: Former site of World Expo 2010 Shanghai

Following CPC footprints: Site of the First National Congress of the CPC

Following CPC footprints: Jinggang Mountains

(Images designer: Fan Chenxiao)