China launched a Long March 2D rocket carrying 41 satellites on Thursday, setting a new national record for the number of satellites launched in a single mission. The rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province at 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT). The satellites were released into orbit about 10 minutes later.
The satellites were a mix of commercial and government spacecraft. The commercial satellites were part of the Jilin-1 constellation, which is designed to provide Earth observation services. The government satellites were for a variety of purposes, including communications, navigation, and weather forecasting.
The launch was the latest in a series of successful space missions for China. In December, the country launched its first crewed mission to its new space station. And in January, it launched a record 143 satellites on a single rocket.
The launch of the 41 satellites is a sign of China’s growing ambitions in space. The country is now one of the world’s leading space powers, and it is investing heavily in new technologies and programs. China is also planning to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2024.
The launch of the 41 satellites was also a success for the Long March 2D rocket. The rocket is a workhorse of the Chinese space program, and it has been used to launch a variety of satellites and spacecraft. The successful launch of the 41 satellites is a testament to the reliability of the Long March 2D rocket.