A Long March-2D carrier rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province on April 3, sending Yaogan 42 01 satellite into preset orbit.
Both of the rocket and the satellite were generally developed by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The Long March-2D rocket is a two-stage, ambient temperature liquid carrier rocket with the capability to launch single or multiple satellites into different orbits from the satellite launch centers.
It has a carrying capacity of 1.3 metric tons in the sun-synchronous orbit 700 kilometers above the ground.
The launch on April 3 was the 515th flight of the Long March rocket family.
