02 July 2017
China launched the Long March-5 Y2, the country's second heavy-lift carrier rocket, from Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern province of Hainan in the evening of 2 July. The rocket, carrying the Shijian-18 satellite, blasted off at 7:23 p.m. Beijing time, trailing a vast column of flame.
The launch is the last test for the Long March-5 series before its mission to send the Chang'e-5 lunar probe into space in the latter half of this year, which will return with samples.
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