China placed a new group of internet satellites in orbit on August 16 from a commercial spacecraft launch site in the southern island province of Hainan.
The satellites, the 24th group of low-orbit internet satellites, were launched by a Long March 12 carrier rocket at 12:10 pm (Beijing Time) and were successfully placed in their preset orbits.
A Long March 12 carrier rocket carrying the 24th group of the low-orbit internet satellites blasts off from a commercial spacecraft launch site in South China’s Hainan Province on August 16. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The 24th group of the low-orbit internet satellites was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). China Aerospace Science and Technology Commercial Launch Vehicle Group Co, Ltd, another CASC subsidiary, provided satellite launch services as the general contractor.
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, another CASC subsidiary, completed the horizontal assembly, testing and transportation of the Long March 12 rocket. Capable of executing launch missions for multiple orbital types, the rocket has a payload of no less than 12 metric tons for low Earth orbits and no less than 6 tons for 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbits.
This was the 663rd launch of a Long March rocket.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
