Posted: Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 6:56 AM ET (1056 GMT)
China launched Monday a new data relay satellite to support its future human spaceflight activities. The Long March 3C rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 11:41 am EDT (1541 GMT) Monday and placed the Tianlian 1-02 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite will be used relay communications between ground control and various satellites, including future crewed spacecraft, similar to the US TDRSS satellite system. China plans to launch later this year the first module of will eventually be a small space station.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  The Daily Telegraph article
•  Xinhua article