China launches Long March 2D rocket, taking special steps to keep area coronavirus-free
- Four satellites sent into near-Earth orbit will be used to test new technologies including high-speed telecommunications and cutting-edge sensors
- Detailed health records kept for all team members and meetings conducted remotely, while staff had meals delivered to limit contact
The satellites – known as XJS-C, D, E and F – will be used to test new technologies including high-speed telecommunications and cutting-edge sensors for next-generation Earth observation satellites, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said.
“At this unusual time, when the Chinese people are united and fighting in the trenches against the pneumonia plague from the new coronavirus, this is more than just the success of a space mission,” Wu Yansheng, president of the CASC, said in a statement after the launch.
The rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in Sichuan province. China’s space authorities plan to launch more than 40 rockets this year – a more intense schedule than ever, with no sign of disruption despite the public health crisis that has gripped the nation.
Upcoming Chinese space missions include landing a rover on Mars; bringing samples back to Earth from the lunar surface, which has not been done since the Apollo mission; launching a new-generation spaceship; and testing a prototype module for China’s planned space station.