China launched a new relay satellite on Wednesday to provide Earth-Moon communications services, a key step for its future lunar exploration missions such as retrieving samples from the far side of the moon.
A Long March-8 rocket, carrying the satellite dubbed Queqiao-2, or magpie bridge-2, soared into the sky at 8:31 a.m. from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province.
The Qishui Bay in Longlou Town of Wenchang City was crowded with people. Many Chinese and foreign visitors arrived at the viewing point one day in advance to feel the atmosphere of the rocket launch site. The moment the rocket launched like stars rising, people shouted and cheered for this. They took out mobile phones and cameras to record the moment.
(Reported by Lin Shijie; Edited by Jiang Lu)
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