China Launches Telecom Satellite

XICHANG, Sichuan Province, Sept. 14, 2006/Satnews Daily/ — China launched on Wednesday a new telecommunications satellite, Zhongxing-22A, with a Long March-3A rocket carrier, Xinhau News Agency reported.

The launch at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center occurred at 00:02. Twenty-five minutes later, the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring and Controlling Center reported that Zhongxing-22A successfully entered onto the preset orbit, at a perigee of 207 kilometers and an apogee of 42,000 kilometers.

According to Xinhua, 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.

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