China launched two scientific experiment satellites into space
from a north China space center atop a Long March 4-B rocket
carrier earlier Thursday.
The rocket lifted off at 7:14 (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan
Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province.
Sources from the Xi'an Satellite Tracking Center said one of the
satellites, SJ-6A scientific experiment satellite, separated from
the rocket 11 minutes after flight, and the other one, SJ-6B
scientific experiment satellite, disengaged from the carrier one
minute later.
With a designed life of at least two years, the two satellites
would be used to probe space environment, radiation, its effects
and space physical environment parameters, and conduct other
related space experiments, sources said.
Thursday's launch is the 79th flight of China's Long March
rocket carriers and the 37th consecutive successful one of the
vehicle since October of 1996.
The two satellites were made by the Shanghai Academy of Space
Flight Technology and Dongfanghong Satellite Co. under the China
Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said the sources.
The geospace probing systems aboard the satellites were mainly
manufactured by the China Electronics Technology Corporation.
Space experts said China has launched six types of its SJ
scientific experiment satellites since 1971, when its first
scientific experiment satellite, or SL-1, was boosted into
space.
They said the technological upgrading of the probing systems and
the satellites during the past 33 years facilitated the development
of the country's satellite-based remote sensing science, which
contributed to the country's space exploitation and experiments,
and applied space experiments.
(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2004)
