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

Sputnik News

14:52 02.07.2017(updated 16:04 02.07.2017)

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.

WENCHANG SPACE LAUNCH CENTER (Sputnik) – The launch took place at 19:23 local time [11:23 GMT].

According to Xinhua news agency, the launch was unsuccessful; the reasons are unknown so far. The weather conditions were reportedly perfect for the launch.

The rocket was set to deliver Shijan-18 telecommunication satellite into space.

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.

© Sputnik