China conducts 2 successful space launches, sends satellites into orbit

China conducted two successful space launches Thursday, sending a new batch of low-orbit internet satellites and two commercial interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) remote-sensing satellites into orbit, state media reported.

The first launch took place at 8.32 a.m. (0032 GMT) from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. A Long March-12 rocket successfully placed the 25th group of low-orbit internet satellites into orbit, according to the Global Times.

It was the 667th launch of the Long March rocket family.

At 10.40 a.m. (0240 GMT), a Kuaizhou-11 Y3 solid-fuel rocket launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, carrying two satellites into preset orbit.

It was the seventh mission of the Kuaizhou-11 rocket and the 40th launch of the Kuaizhou rocket series.