China Launches French Satellite | 2007-07-05 20:46:30 Xinhua |
| China's carrier rocket, Long March-3B, carrying "Chinasat 6B", a French-made communications satellite, is ready to blast off from Xichang in southwest China on Thursday, July 5th, 2007. [Photo: chinanews.com.cn]
"Chinasat 6B", a French-made communications satellite, rocketed into space from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday.
The satellite was lifted by a Chinese Long March-3B carrier rocket which blasted off at 8:08 p.m. (Beijing Time) Thursday. It was the 101st launch mission for the Long March series of carrier rockets.
The satellite separated from the rocket 26 minutes after lift-off, entering its preset orbit.
"Chinasat 6B", manufactured by France's Alcatel Alenia Space, has a designed lifespan of 15 years.
Fitted with 38 transponders, the satellite is expected to improve telecommunications transmission for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania.
China on June 1 launched "SinoSat-3", a communications satellite for radio and television broadcasting, with a Long March-3A carrier rocket, the 100th flight of the Long March series.
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