Posted: Wed, Apr 15, 2009, 7:27 AM ET (1127 GMT)
A Long March rocket placed a Chinese navigation satellite into orbit early Wednesday. The rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at 12:16 pm EDT Tuesday (1616 GMT Tuesday, 12:16 am local time Wednesday) and placed the Compass G2 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite was described by the Chinese media as the second in the planned Compass navigation satellite constellation, which will consist of satellites in geosynchronous and medium Earth orbits. The first Compass satellite was launched two years ago; the full 30-satellite Compass system is expected to be deployed by 2015.

Related Links:

•  Xinhua article
•  Spaceflight Now article
•  AP article
•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  AFP article