Doha: China successfully sent a new data relay satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Tianlian II-05 satellite was launched on Sunday aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered its planned orbit.
Tianlian II-05 is China's second-generation geosynchronous orbit data-relay satellite. It will provide data relay and TT and C (telemetry, tracking and command) services for manned spacecraft such as spaceships and space stations, for medium and low-Earth-orbit resource satellites, and TT and C support for spacecraft launches.