Long March 3B launched with experimental satellite

China launched a Long March 3B carrier rocket late on Thursday night to transport an experimental satellite to orbit, according to the nation's leading space contractor China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The State-owned conglomerate said in a statement on Friday morning the rocket blasted off at 11:36 pm at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province and then deployed the Communications Technology Demonstrator 6 into space.

The launch was the 360th flight of China's Long March rocket family.

The satellite was designed and built by the company's Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and is tasked with testing technologies pertaining to satellite communications, television broadcasting and data transmission, according to the statement.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp plans to launch more than 40 missions this year, including those for the nation's space station program. The company said earlier this month 2021 will become its busiest year in terms of launch activity.

In 2020, the space magnate conducted 34 launches, including three made by Long March 5-series rockets that carried into space China's next-generation manned spacecraft, the country's first independent Mars probe and the landmark Chang'e 5 lunar sample-return mission.