Posted: Thu, Aug 4, 2005, 7:30 AM ET (1130 GMT)
A Long March rocket successfully launched this week a recoverable satellite said to contain a scientific payload. The Long March 2C booster lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 3:30 am EDT (0730 GMT, 3:30 pm Beijing time) Tuesday, carrying the FSW 21 satellite into low Earth orbit. Chinese media released few details about the mission, other than to say that the satellite is designed for scientific research, mapping, and other research. The satellite's scientific payload will be returned to Earth, most likely after a few weeks in orbit. The satellite is the 21st in a series of such missions dating back 30 years.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  Spaceflight Now article