China launches new experimental satellite

China on Saturday sent a new satellite into planned orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Shiyan-20 C satellite was launched at 9:01 a.m. (Beijing Time) on a Long March-2D carrier rocket.

The satellite will be mainly used for in-orbit verification of new technologies such as space environment monitoring. The launch marked the 445th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.