“WENCHANG, Hainan, July 2 — 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 Sunday evening.

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.

With a weight of 7.5 tonnes, Shijian-18 is China’s latest technology experiment satellite and the heaviest satellite China has ever launched into
space.

It will test China’s new Dongfanghong-5 (DFH-5) satellite platform and carry out in-orbit experiments including Q/V band satellite communication,
satellite-ground laser communication technologies and an advanced Hull electric propulsion system. ”