China today successfully launched two remote sensing satellites for Pakistan, marking the first international commercial launch for the Long March-2C rocket in about 19 years.
The satellites -- PRSS-1 and PakTES-1A --- were launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 11:56 a.m. Monday.
The PRSS-1 is China's first optical remote sensing satellite sold to Pakistan and the 17th satellite developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) for an overseas buyer.
A scientific experiment satellite, PakTES-1A, developed by Pakistan, was sent into orbit via the same rocket.
This is another space cooperation between China and Pakistan since the launch of PAKSAT-1R, a communication satellite, in August 2011, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The PRSS-1 will be used for land and resources surveying, monitoring of natural disasters, agriculture research, urban construction and providing remote sensing information for the Belt and Road region.
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Today's launch is the 279th mission of the Long March rocket series.
It is also the first international commercial launch for a Long March-2C rocket in nearly two decades after it carried Motorola's Iridium satellites into orbit in 1999.
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