China successfully launched three new military surveillance satellites into orbit on a Long March 2C rocket today (March 24).
Topped with three Yaogan-30 Group 6 surveillance satellites for the Chinese military, the rocket lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's Sichuan province at 11:43 a.m. local time (0343 GMT; 11:43 p.m. EDT on March 23).
The three satellites "will be used for electromagnetic environment detection and related technological tests," China's state-run news outlet CCTV reported. The will join China's Chuangxin-5 satellite constellation, which now consists of 18 Yaogan satellites that have been launching in batches of three since the first trio launched in 2017.
Video: Liftoff! China launches Yaogan-30 family remote-sensing satellites
Related: Coronavirus isn't stopping China from launching rockets
Today's launch comes on the heels of a launch failure. On March 16, China's Long March 7A rocket failed to launch a classified satellite into orbit. It was the debut launch for the new Long March 7A.
Although China has been one of the epicenters of the global coronavirus pandemic, the country has continued to launch rockets throughout the outbreak — while making sure its engineers and other launch staff are properly protected in a quarantined environment.
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Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
