China sends two satellites into orbit for experiments

China successfully launched the Practice-9 A and Practice-9 B satellites into space at 11:25 am Sunday, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center said.

The satellites, launched from North China's Shanxi Province, were boosted by a Long March-2C carrier rocket and sent into orbit.

Yu Zhijian, chief engineer with the Taiyuan launch center, said launching a rocket with multiple satellites is a good way to save money and boost efficiency. He also noted that the satellites are able to maintain a synchronized orbit with each other.

The Practice-9 A and Practice-9 B satellites will enter the same orbit.

The rockets can also send a pair of satellites into different orbits, one by one.

The Taiyuan center is designed mainly for launching spacecraft to the sun synchronous orbit and polar orbit, and has conducted more than 40 satellite launches so far since it opened in 1967.

All its previous 20 launches with two satellites have been successful.

Practice-9 A and B are the first in a series of civilian satellites designed for technological experimentation.

Developed by an affiliate of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellites will be used to experiment with satellite formations, inter-satellite measurement and domestically developed components, the center said.

The launch marks the 169th of a Long March rocket.

Practice-1 was launched in 1971.