China deploys new batch of internet satellites
China launched a new batch of internet satellites on Wednesday from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Hainan Province, Qazinform News Agency cites CGTN.
The satellites, which form the 22nd group in the country's low-Earth orbit internet satellite network, were carried into space aboard a Long March-12 rocket. The launch took place at 10:44 a.m., and the satellites were successfully placed into their designated orbit.
The Long March-12 rocket, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is designed to support a variety of orbital missions. It can deliver at least 12 tons of payload to low-Earth orbit and more than 6 tones to a sun-synchronous orbit around 700 kilometers above Earth.
This mission represents the 652nd flight of China's Long March carrier rocket series.
Earlier, Qazinform reported China had launched a Lijian-1 Y14 carrier rocket with eight satellites onboard.