China launches record-setting 41 satellites on single rocket

A Long March-2D rocket carrying 41 satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province June 15, 2023. China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go.

The rocket blasted off at 1:30 p.m. (Beijing Time) at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China and soon took the satellites, including the Jilin-1 Gaofen 06A, into preset orbit.

These satellites will be used for commercial remote sensing services and verification of related technologies, said the launch site.

This was the 476th flight mission of the Long March rocket series. ■

A Long March-2D rocket carrying 41 satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province June 15, 2023. China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D rocket carrying 41 satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province June 15, 2023. China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D rocket carrying 41 satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province June 15, 2023. China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-2D rocket carrying 41 satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province June 15, 2023. China launched a Long March-2D rocket to place 41 satellites in orbit on Thursday, setting a domestic record for the most satellites lifted in one go. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)