China successfully launched a new communication satellite called ChinaSat 2C, which will be utilized to provide transmissions for radio, television and broadband services. The satellite was carried on-board the Long March 3B rocket on Wednesday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan province.
Launched at 12:25 a.m., the experimental satellite for communication technology will provide signal transmission services for the country's television stations, radio stations, cable networks and wireless transmission devices across China.
ChinaSat 2C was developed by China Academy of Space Technology and owned by China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd., a company that provides satellite space segment and satellite ground operation services.
Generally, they provide transmissions through in-orbit satellites to broadcast television programs and radio stations. The launch was the 216th mission of the Long March carrier rocket series and 13th successful space launch by China this year.
However, reports circulated that the satellite, which they called Zhongxing-2C was launched with a private payload believed by Western observers to be a military communications satellite. They speculated that this newly launched satellite is the second one of the second generation Shentong geostationary military communication satellites.
China media did not release other information regarding the mission aside from preflight warnings for airplanes to avoid the area.
Lately, a series of satellites for various purposes were launched by China. On Oct. 16, they launched the APSTAR-9 communications satellite which was also blasted off with a Long March-3B/G2 rocket which is the replacement satellite for APT Satellite's APSTAR-9A satellite. It was launched to provide quality satellite telecommunications and broadcasting services to the Asia-Pacific region.
On Oct. 27, they launched a mapping satellite into the orbit. Tianhui-1C will be used mainly for scientific experiments, mapping, disaster relief and land resource surveys.
A satellite intended to explore the dark matter is scheduled to be launched in December. First of the satellites in that series, the dark matter particle explorer will aid in the assessment of direction and electric charge of energy particles in space to search dark matter.
