Article Posted on : - Sep 19, 2011

File photo of a Chinese satellite launch by a Long March-3A carrier rocket.

BEIJING (PTI): China’s Long March rocket Monday successfully launched a new communication satellite, first time after its previous mission failed last month.

The Long March-3B rocket carrier put the satellite, Zhongxing-1A, on orbit after its launch from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwestern Sichuan Province, official Xinhua news agency reported.

Zhongxing-1A was designed and manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the news report said, adding that the satellite will provide high-quality voice communication, broadcast and data transmission services for users across China.

The launch was the 146th mission for the Long March carrier rocket series. This was also the first attempt after a Long March II-C rocket failed to put a satellite in its intended orbit on Aug 19.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said that malfunction in the connection in servomechanism and second stage venire engine caused failure in second flight phase of the rocket.

It was the first time the Long March II-C rocket, regarded as the trusted workhorse of Chinese space programme, has failed after 35 successful launches and only second time that China had to abort a satellite since 1996 after it developed its space applications modelled on the Russian technology.