XICHANG - China sent a new data relay satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province Wednesday.

The Tianlian II-03 satellite was launched at half hour to one o'clock Wednesday Beijing Time by a Long March 3B carrier rocket.

Tianlian II-03 is China's second-generation geosynchronous orbit data relay satellite.

It will provide data relay and TT&C (telemetry, tracking and command) services for manned spacecraft and low and middle orbit resources satellites. It will also support the TT&C for spacecraft launch.

This was the 426th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.