China Launches Long March-5 Heavy-Lift Carrier Rocket with Shijan-18 Satellite


TEHRAN (Tasnim) - China has launched its Long March-5 heavy-lift carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The launch took place at 19:23 local time [11:23 GMT].

The rocket will deliver Shijan-18 telecommunication satellite into space. The satellite might operate there up to 15 years in case of a successful launch, Sputnik reported.

The first launch of the Changzheng 5 (Long March 5) carrier rocket took place in November 2016.

China's largest ever rocket has a maximum payload capacity of 55,116 pounds to a low-Earth orbit.