Posted: Sun, Sep 5, 2010, 2:56 PM ET (1856 GMT)
A Long March rocket successfully launched a Chinese communications satellite early Sunday. The Long March 3B lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 12:14 pm EDT Saturday (1614 GMT Saturday, 12:14 am Beijing time Sunday) and placed the SinoSat-6 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit 26 minutes later. The satellite, which will eventually be located at 126.4 degrees east in GEO, weighted about 5,100 kilograms at launch and carries 24 C-band, 8-Ku band, and 1 S-band transponders. China Satcome plans to use the satellite to provide Television and radio broadcasting services for China.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Xinhua article