China's Long March-6C rocket makes maiden flight

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, May 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits.

It was the 520th flight mission of the Long March series rockets.

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Wang Zenghe/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Wang Zenghe/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Wang Zenghe/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Wang Zenghe/Xinhua)

A Long March-6C carrier rocket carrying four satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 7, 2024. China's Long March-6C carrier rocket made its debut flight on Tuesday, placing four satellites in space.

The rocket blasted off at 11:21 a.m. (Beijing Time), sending Neptune-01 and Smart-1C, as well as a wide-band optical satellite and a high-resolution video satellite into planned orbits. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)