A Chinese environmental research craft and
an experimental Earth-imaging nanosatellite successfully launched Saturday
aboard a Long March 2D rocket on 2 June.
The two satellite co-passengers lifted off
at 0413 GMT (12:13 a.m. EDT) from the Jiuquan space base in northwestern
China’s Inner Mongolia region, riding a two-stage Long March 2D launcher away
from the remote military base atop more than 650,000 pounds of thrust.
The Luojia 1 spacecraft accompanied Gaofen
6 on the Long March 2D launcher, beginning its own experimental remote sensing
mission.
