China launches new satellite

Beijing : China successfully launched a new satellite into space Sunday, which will improve television and radio broadcasting signals in the country.

The "SinoSat-6" was launched at 12:14 a.m. from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The Long March 3B rocket took SinoSat-6 into a geostationary transfer orbit 26 minutes after the launch, Xinhua reported.

SinoSat-6 has a lifespan of 15 years and will work at longitude 126.4 degrees east about 35,700 km above the equator, said China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC), which designed the satellite.

It will mainly serve for relaying TV and radio live broadcast signals and will improve cultural life for people living in remote and mountainous regions, according to China Satellite Communications Corporation.

China has launched the first SinoSat series satellite, SinoSat-1, in 1998. SinoSat-6 will serve as a substitute for SinoSat-3 which was launched June 1, 2007, CASTC said.