WENCHANG, Hainan: The rocket has not launched yet, but Chen Huanpeng is already chasing it.Days before liftoff, the 23-year-old and a group of young enthusiasts criss-cross Longlou, a coastal area of Wenchang city known locally as ‘Rocket Town’, tracking the launch vehicle as it makes its way overland towards the pad.They know where to wait for the best shots. On one recent chase, Chen watched as the rocket passed coconut trees and grazing cattle - a scene that captured Wenchang’s unusual new normal.
The Long March-7A being rolled out to the launch pad from the assembly testing building in Wenchang, China on Aug 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Lan Yu)
“It shows that rocket launches in Wenchang have already become part of everyday life,” he said.
Between filming stops, the group gathers over laoba cha - literally “old dad’s tea”, a Hainan tradition of lingering over inexpensive tea and snacks - to replay footage, discuss upcoming launches and, increasingly, talk business.
(From left) Chen Changjun, Huang Bodong and Chen Huanpeng waiting for the Long March-7A to be rolled out of the assembly testing building in Wenchang, China on Aug 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Lan Yu)
