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China launches telecom satellite for '08 Olympics
It has been the 10th successful launch in succession of the Long March-3A and the 91st launch of the Long March rocket carriers.
China on Wednesday, launched a state-of-the-art telecommunications satellite to further boost the nation's communications facilities ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The indigenously-made satellite, Zhongxing-22A was launched with a 'Long March-3A' rocket carrier from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province early on Wednesday.
Twenty-five minutes later, the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring and Controlling Centre reported that Zhongxing-22A successfully entered onto the preset orbit, at a perigee of 207 kilometres and an apogee of 42,000 kilometres.
Zhongxing-22A, an earth-synchronous telecommunications satellite is designed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Technology Group Company.
The satellite has been designed to work for eight years, for the owner - the China Telecommunication Broadcast Satellite Company under the China Telecommunications Satellite Group Company.
It has been the 10th successful launch in succession of the Long March-3A and the 91st launch of the Long March rocket carriers.
Since October, 1996, the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre has succeeded in 18 successive launches, and it is also the country's 49th successful space launch in the running, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to some experts, once the satellite shifts its track, it will be fixed above the Equator, at 98 degrees east longitude. Afterwards, it will be handed over to the owner.
