China launches new rocket designed to carry more satellites

China’s modified Long March-8 rocket successfully launched a new group of low Earth orbit satellites from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China’s Hainan Province on Tuesday.

The satellite group, the second of its kind that will constitute an internet constellation, was launched at 17:30 Beijing Time. The satellites entered the preset orbit successfully. The launch marks the 559th flight mission of the Long March rocket series. It signals the start of a new phase of high-frequency launches for the Long March 8 series, with more than 10 missions planned for 2025.