China successfully completes latest satellite launch

China launched a Long March 7A carrier rocket on Sunday night to send a satellite into orbit, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The State-owned space contractor said in a news release that the rocket blasted off at 8:20 pm from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province and transported the Shijian satellite into its preset orbit.

It did not elaborate on the satellite's functions, only saying it was built by the China Academy of Space Technology.

A product of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the Long March 7A rocket type has a liftoff weight of 573 metric tons and a core-stage diameter of 3.35 meters. It is capable of placing a 7-ton spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

By now, 13 Long March 7As have been used to deploy satellites.

The launch marked the 611th mission of the Long March family and China's 77th rocket launch in 2025.