China launches new low Earth orbit satellite group

(ECNS) -- China on Monday successfully launched a group of low Earth orbit satellites from its commercial spacecraft site in the southern island province of Hainan, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. said. 

The satellite group was launched at 10:41 a.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-12 carrier rocket, and entered the preset orbit as scheduled.

The Long March-12 is a new-generation, cryogenic liquid-fueled rocket and China’s first single-core rocket with a 4-meter diameter. 

It can carry payloads of at least 12 metric tons to low Earth orbit and 6 metric tons to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, supporting single, multiple, and mixed-orbit launches. 

The mission on Monday was the third launch of the Long March 12 carrier rocket and the 607th of the series.