CHINA / SOCIETY
China launches two new satellites
By Xinhua Published: Mar 26, 2026 08:52 AM
A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)


China on Thursday launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket, placing two new satellites into space.

The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit.

It was the 634th flight mission of the Long March series rockets.

A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)


A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying two new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on March 26, 2026. The rocket blasted off at 6:51 a.m. (Beijing Time) and sent the pair of satellites, Siwei Gaojing-2 05 and Siwei Gaojing-2 06, into their preset orbit. (Photo by Wang Yapeng/Xinhua)