Posted: Sun, Aug 29, 2004, 10:25 AM ET (1425 GMT)
China launched Sunday what officials described as a small recoverable science satellite. The Long March 2C lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 3:50 am EDT (0750 GMT, 3:50 pm Beijing time) Sunday. The satellite, likely to be designated FSW-19, was described as the "19th recoverable science experimental satellite". The Chinese news agency Xinhua said that the spacecraft would remain in orbit for several days, carrying out "space scientific research, land surveying, mapping and other scientific experiments", before returning to Earth. The launch of the mission was not announced beforehand. The launch was the third Chinese mission so far this year; the previous two also used the medium-class Long March 2C booster.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  Reuters article
•  AFP article