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.

“Abnormity was detected during the flight of the rocket. Further investigation will be carried out.”

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.

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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.