Posted: Sat, Apr 26 7:31 AM ET (1131 GMT)
A Long March rocket launched a data relay satellite Friday that will be used to support China's human spaceflight program. The Long March 3C lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China at 11:35 am EDT Friday (1535 GMT, 11:35 pm Beijing time) and placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit the Tianlian 1 satellite. The spacecraft is billed as China's first data relay satellite, designed to transfer data from other Chinese satellites to ground stations. The major application of the satellite will be to enhance communications for China's Shenzhou manned spacecraft, which previously have only been able to communicate when in range of a ground station or tracking ship. The launch was the first for China in 2008.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  Spaceflight Now article

Posted: Tue, Nov 27 6:52 AM ET (1152 GMT)
The Chinese space agency released on Monday the first image of the lunar surface taken by its Chang'e-1 lunar orbiter. The image, unveiled in a ceremony by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, is a montage of 19 separate images of a region of the moon's southern hemisphere. Chang'e-1, China's first lunar mission, was launched last month and entered orbit around the Moon earlier this month. Besides its main camera the spacecraft also includes a number of other instruments used to study the lunar surface and space environment. Separately Monday, Chinese officials said they had no schedule for sending a human mission to the Moon, denying reports in Western media that suggested such a mission could take place by 2020.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article about mission
•  AP article
•  Reuters article
•  AFP article
•  Xinhua article about manned mission timetable

China launches remote sensing satellite
Posted: Mon, Nov 12 5:25 AM ET (1025 GMT)
A Long March rocket placed a Chinese remote sensing satellite into orbit on Monday. The Long March 4C lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch...

Chang'e-1 enters lunar orbit
Posted: Mon, Nov 5 1:03 PM ET (1803 GMT)
Chang'e-1, China's first lunar mission, has entered orbit around the Moon, officials announced Monday. A thruster burn by the spacecraft Monday put...

China launches first lunar probe
Posted: Wed, Oct 24 7:57 AM ET (1157 GMT)
China successfully launched its first lunar orbiter mission on Wednesday. A Long March 3A rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern...