A Long March 2C carrier rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Jan 13, sending the APSTAR 6E satellite into the selected orbit.
It was the first launch mission of the Long March 2C carrier rocket in 2023.
Generally developed by China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, APSTAR 6E is the first satellite based on the DFH-3E and China's first all-electric propulsion and geosynchronous orbit communication satellite that can realize autonomous orbital transfer.
After about 10 months of autonomous flight, the satellite will reach the selected position on the geostationary orbit and provide highly cost-effective and high-throughput broadband communication services for Southeast Asian regions.
The Long March 2C carrier rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. In the mission, the payload weight of the carrier rocket exceeded four metric tons for the first time.
Its first launch was completed on Sept 9, 1982 and has the longest service life among all rockets in service in China. It is the country's first "gold medal rocket".
The Jan 13 mission is the 460th of the Long March series rockets.
A Long March 2C carrier rocket, carrying the APSTAR 6E satellite, is launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Jan 13. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
A view of the APSTAR 6E satellite [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
