China successfully launched on Sunday a new remote sensing satellite, Yaogan-40, into a pre-arranged orbit to carry out electromagnetic environment detection and related technical tests.
The mission was carried out at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi province on March 6A by a Long March-6A carrier rocket.
The Long March-6A carrier rocket, developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation 8th Academy, is a new generation of solid-liquid fuel bundled medium rocket. It can launch four tons into a 700-kilometer solar synchronous orbit.
The rocket is designed with the development approaches of modularization, combination, and serialization, allowing for a variety of configurations through the adjustments of boosters to meet the diversified requirements of satellite launches.
The launch marks the first time that the 55-meter-long carrier rocket placed a remote sensing satellite group composed of three satellites into space. The satellite group was developed by CASC 5th Academy.
The long March-6A, a new member of the Long March line of carrier ships, has been significantly improved in terms of its mission adaptability.
This was the third launch mission for the Long March-6A carrier rocket and the fourth mission for the Long March series of carrier rockets.
The Long March-6A carrier's maiden flight test was completed in March of 2022. The Long March 6A RS-2 carrier rocket successfully put the Yunhai-3 satellite into scheduled orbit in November of 2022, marking the first generation of China-made carrier rockets to be put into operation the same year as its first flight.