China Deploys Specialized Command Vessel to Deepen China’s Sea-Based Space Program

China’s military-linked maritime sector has launched sea trials for the country’s first custom-built aerospace launch and tracking command vessel, highlighting Beijing’s ongoing efforts to expand its sea-based ballistic and rocket deployment capabilities. The specialized vessel, christened the Dongfang Hengyuan, completed its initial testing phase in the waters off Weihai, a strategic coastal enclave in eastern China. The project was engineered by state-funded Harbin Engineering University and constructed by the regionally integrated shipbuilder Huanghai Shipbuilding Co. Measuring 77 meters in length with a displacement of 3,200 tons, the vessel features advanced all-electric propulsion systems alongside specialized dynamic positioning technology designed to…