Posted: Fri, Aug 12, 2011, 2:36 PM ET (1836 GMT)
A Chinese Long March rocket successfully launched a new communications satellite for Pakistan on Friday. The Long March 3B lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 12:15 pm EDT Thursday (1615 GMT Thursday, 12:15 am Friday local time) and placed the Paksat-1R satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The Chinese-built DFH-4 satellite weighed about 5,200 kilograms at launch and carries 12 C-band and 18 Ku-band transponders. The satellite, developed as part of a partnership between China and Pakistan, will provide communications services for Pakistan and the surrounding region from 38 degrees east in GEO.
