China has announced that the launch of its Long March-5 Y2 rocket was unsuccessful.
Designed to put the country's largest communication satellite into orbit, the rocket lifted off at 7:23pm on Sunday from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan.
State-run Xinhua News Agency reported: “Abnormity was detected during the flight of the rocket. Further investigation will be carried out.”
The country's second heavy-lift rocket is capable of carrying up to 25t. It had lifted off with the 7.5t Shijian-18 experimental communications satellite.
This satellite would operate on geosynchronous orbit and offer communications services in China, reported AFP-JIJI.
In June, Long March-4B launched an X-ray space telescope to study black holes and gamma-ray bursts.
In April, the country launched Tianzhou-1, its first cargo capsule into space through the Long March-7 Y2 rocket to attach with the orbiting experimental space station that was expected to become operational by 2022.
Last November, China launched the Long March-5 from the Wenchang Space Launch Center. The rocket is claimed to be the most powerful vehicle it had developed.
