Students' satellite launched into space

Among the 20 satellites launched on the maiden flight of the Long March 6 rocket on Sunday was a nano-satellite designed, developed and controlled independently by college students.

The Lilac 2, weighing 12 kilograms, can collect information about the location and speed of ships and airplanes, and its infrared camera can monitor extreme weather and forest fires.

The multidisciplinary project required a team of 40 undergraduates, postgraduates and doctoral students from eight fields, including aeronautics, mechanics and computing.