China Launches New Data Relay Satellite from Xichang

Abu Dhabi: China successfully sent a new data relay satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Wednesday. People's Daily Online said that the Tianlian II-04 satellite was launched at 23:55 pm (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered its planned orbit. According to Emirates News Agency, Tianlian II-04 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.