China launched a Pakistani satellite early Friday, media reports said.
The carrier rocket blasted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province in the south-west of the country at 12:15 am (1615 GMT Thursday), China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.
A Long March-3B rocket carried the PAKSAT-1R satellite, which is to provide internet, telecom and broadcasting services, DPA reported.
The satellite successfully separated from the rocket and went into geostationary transfer orbit 26 minutes after take-off, Xinhua said citing the control centre.
The satellite has a design life of 15 years and will provide TV broadcasting, internet and data communication services across South and Central Asia, Eastern Europe, East Africa and the Far East.
This satellite now enables extending of communication services to all areas of Pakistan.
