12:10 - 26.12.2025

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December 26, Fineko/abc.az. The China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASC) has successfully launched the 17th unit of SatNet communications satellites into low orbit.

ABC.AZ informs that the mission was launched on Friday at 07:26 on local time (03.26 on Baku time) from the commercial site of the Wenchang cosmodrome on Hainan Island using a CZ-8A launch vehicle (Chang Zheng-8A).

Model CZ-8A, an improved version of CZ-8, is equipped with an upgraded first stage and an enlarged second stage with new hydrogen-oxygen engine YF-75H. The 50.5 m long rocket with 5.2 m fairing diameter is capable of launching up to 9.8 tons into low-Earth orbit or 3.5 tons into geostationary transition orbit.

This is the sixth launch of CZ-8A and the 620th flight of the Changzheng rocket family. All six launches of the new model in 2025 were successful.