China launches experimental satellite

China launched a Long March 7A carrier rocket on Tuesday morning to deploy an experimental satellite into space, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The State-owned space giant said in a news release that the rocket blasted off at 10:10 am from a service tower at the Wenchang Space Launch Center, a coastal spaceport in Hainan province. After a short flight, it placed the satellite, named Communication Technology Demonstrator 26A, into its preset orbit.

The satellite was built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a CASC subsidiary, and is tasked with transmitting radio and television signals, relaying data, and verifying communication technologies, according to the company.

The Long March 7A rocket model is made by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing, another CASC subsidiary. It has a liftoff weight of 573 metric tons and a core-stage diameter of 3.35 meters, and is capable of placing spacecraft with a total weight of 7 tons into geosynchronous transfer orbit.

The launch marked the 46th space mission in China in 2026 and the 653rd flight of the Long March rocket fleet.