New carrier rocket blasts off in Shanxi

China conducted the maiden flight of its Long March 6A carrier rocket on March 29 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The 50-meter rocket blasted off at 5:50 pm from a newly constructed launch tower at the Taiyuan launch center. It transported two satellites — Pujiang 2 and Tiankun 2 — into their orbits, the State-owned space contractor said.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the rocket marked the 412th flight of the Long March rocket family and the seventh space mission by China this year.

Despite being called the Long March 6A, the new model is very different from the Long March 6, which was also designed and built by the Shanghai academy.