China launches new remote-sensing satellites

XICHANG -- China successfully sent a group of new remote-sensing satellites into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province on Monday.

Belonging to the Yaogan-30 family, the satellites were launched by a Long March-2C carrier rocket at 11:19 pm (Beijing Time).

The satellites have entered the planned orbits and will be used for electromagnetic environment detection and related technological tests.

Also on board the rocket was a satellite belonging to the Tianqi constellation. The satellite, Tianqi-6, will be used for data transmission. The Tianqi constellation, developed by a Beijing-based high-tech company, is for short-message communications.

It was the 350th mission of the Long March rocket series.