Posted: Thu, Jul 26, 2012, 9:21 AM ET (1321 GMT)
A Long March rocket launched the third in a series of Chinese data relay satellites on Wednesday. The Long March 3C rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center and placed into geosynchronous transfer orbit the Tianlian 1-03 communications satellite, officials announced. The 2,100-kilogram satellite is the third in a series designed to provide communications links to Chinese spacecraft, including its Shenzhou crewed spacecraft and Tiangong-1 lab module.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Xinhua article