spacetoday.net: China launches science satellite

Posted: Tue, Aug 30, 2005, 8:37 AM ET (1237 GMT)
Long March 2D launch (Xinhua)

For the second time in less than a month China has launched a recoverable science satellite, the same day as a similar spacecraft returned to Earth. A Long March 2D rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launching Center in northwestern China on Monday, placing the FSW 22 satellite into low Earth orbit. The satellite is described by Chinese media sources as designed to carry out an assortment of remote sensing and other scientific experiments. The spacecraft was launched the same day as FSW 21, launched August 2, returned to Earth. FSW 22 is also expected to spend several weeks in orbit before returning to Earth. The launch, not announced publicly beforehand, is the fourth Chinese launch this year.