China has successfully launched their Tiantong 1-02, a new, mobile, telecommunication satellite, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Thursday.
The first satellite in the network, Tiantong 1-01, was launched in August of 2016 and is working in a geosynchronous orbit.
Based on the DFH-4 satellite framework, the Tiantong 1-02 has better design and higher flexibility than its predecessor. The satellite is tasked with providing all-weather, all-time, stable and reliable mobile communication services to users in China and its surrounding areas, the Middle East and Africa, as well as most sea areas in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
The Long March 3B rocket used in Friday’s launch featured improvements on its fuel containers and third-stage engines, according to the designers from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.