China’s Smart Dragon-3 rocket launches satellites from sea

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket lifted off on Monday in east China’s Shandong Province, sending the satellite group CentiSpace 01 into the planned orbit. The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center conducted the offshore launch mission. The mission marks the fifth launch of the Smart Dragon-3 rocket. It is a four-stage solid-propellant carrier rocket designed primarily for commercial space launch missions.

It can be launched both at sea and on land. To guarantee a successful launch, scientists have improved the rocket to increase its carrying capacity from 1,560 kg to 1,600 kg and add features to maintain optimal temperatures. The rocket will undergo further improvements for different missions in the future to continuously enhance its economic efficiency and adaptability.