Rocket Launches and Space-Themed Tourism Take Off Across China

On a hot August night, thousands gathered on the beaches of Hainan island, phones raised toward the sky, waiting for the Long March 7A rocket to lift off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The crowd cheered as the uncrewed vehicle climbed, lighting up the darkness. Moments later, it turned into a fireball, an unexpected blast later confirmed by state media. Many onlookers, unaware of the failure, treated the fiery spectacle as part of the show.

Rocket launches are increasingly becoming public spectacles in China, blending national pride with holiday entertainment. Fu Jinhua, a tourist from Guangdong, brought his parrot to watch the launch, saying he expects ordinary people will one day travel to space as easily as taking a train. He speculated that within a decade or two, China might have its own version of Elon Musk, and perhaps even a path to Mars.

Once hidden in remote deserts, China's space launches are now open to public viewing as the country accelerates its ambitions, including a crewed moon landing by 2030 and a later crewed mission to Mars. Milestones like the first crewed flight in 2003, a spacewalk in 2008, and the completed space station in 2022 have filtered into daily life through movies, museums, and tourist attractions.

At Wulanhada Volcano Geological Park in Inner Mongolia, black volcanic rock formations serve as a Mars simulator. Visitors rent spacesuit costumes for as little as 20 yuan to pose against the barren landscape, while vendors sell astronaut-shaped strawberry ice cream. Tumuse, a former sheep herder who opened a rental shop in 2022, said prices dropped as competition grew.

In Beijing's Songzhuang art district, a giant sculpture of a sleeping female astronaut draws crowds. The work, titled "Resonance," is tied to a novel by sci-fi author Yang Wanting, whose character embarks on a universe journey a century from now. Yang recalled watching Yang Liwei's 2003 spaceflight with her grandfather, a memory she says remains vivid because of the shared excitement.

At Shougang Park, a former steel mill turned cultural hub, a towering "Space Molly" sculpture by toy company Pop Mart invites photo-taking. For many in China, space is no longer just a topic of official broadcasts or science fiction—it is experienced at the beach, in public art, and even from an ice cream cart. As Fu said on the Hainan beach, "Our previous generations would never have imagined sitting here, enjoying the sea breeze, watching our own country's rocket launch. I truly believe the future is not just a dream."