CHINA on Tuesday sent a sea-launched rocket into space from the waters surrounding Haiyang, a coastal city in the eastern province of Shandong, placing four satellites into planned orbit.

The rocket maker, Galactic Energy, became the first Chinese private company to carry out a sea-based launch mission.

The commercial launch vehicle, CERES-1, blasted off at 5:34 p.m. The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center conducted the offshore mission.

Galactic Energy said it was the 9th flight and the first sea-based mission of the CERES-1 series.

Compared with a land-based launch, the sea launch is a new mode, having more flexibility, better adaptability, and more cost-effective services.

The satellites will provide global data services for application scenarios such as emergency communications, ecological environment monitoring, and tower detection.

(Xinhua)