A modified version of the Long March 6 carrier rocket carrying the satellite Yaogan 40 lifts off at 12:30 pm (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi province, September 10, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

With the new generation Long March-6A carrier rocket, China successfully launched on Sunday a new remote sensing satellite, Yaogan-40, into a preset orbit to carry out electromagnetic environment detection and related technical tests. 

The mission was carried out by a Long March-6A carrier rocket at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi Province at 12:30 pm. 

The Long March-6A carrier rocket, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) 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. 

Designed with the development approaches of modularization, combination and serialization, the rocket can use a variety of configurations through the adjustment 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 the CASC 5th Academy. 

As a new member of the Long March series of carrier rockets, the Long March-6A has been greatly improved in terms of its mission adaptability. 

This was the third launch mission of the Long March-6A carrier rocket and the 487th mission for the Long March series of carrier rockets. 

Long March-6A carrier rocket successfully completed its maiden flight test 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. 

Global Times