A China-made Long March 3B rocket heads for space from the launching center in Xichang in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 20:00 (Beijing time) on April 12, 2005. (Xinhua Photo)

    BEIJING, April 12 -- China re-entered space yesterday evening, sending a communication satellite into orbit atop a Long March 3B rocket from a launch pad in Xichang in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

    A spokesman for the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said the flight, which blasted off at 8 pm, is the 84th successful flight of China's Long-March rocket since its maiden voyage in 1970, and the 42nd consecutive successful flight since October 1996.

    The successful launch of the communication satellite, AsiaSat-6 which will be used by Hong Kong-based company Apstar Satellite Limited, represents the return of Chinese rockets to the international commercial launch market after an absence of seven years, said a spokesman.

    The AsiaSat-6, which has 50 transponders, was launched to replace AsiaSat-1 A.

    The successful launch has shown the Long March rocket, which has the biggest carrying capacity of any commercial launch vehicle, is capable of carrying any satellite with a maximum weight of 5,100 kilograms into orbit.

    Experts noted that the successful launch will have great significance for the development of China's aerospace technology and for China's expansion into the overseas commercial launch market.

    Experts said the 62 successful flights by the rockets developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology helped put 39 China-made satellites, 28 overseas-made satellites and five space vessels, including one manned mission, into orbit over the past 35 years.

    China announced in 1985 its decision to enter the international commercial launch market, and it successfully launched a US-made satellite AsiaSat-1 in 1990.

(Source: China Daily)