China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) has announced the successful launch of the country's first geostationary-orbiting weather satellite.

The launch of the Feng Yun 2 satellite aboard a Long March 3 booster took place from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 10 June, says CGWIC, after a delay of five days due to poor weather.

CGWIC says that the ninth successful launch of the Long March and two successful launches of a Long March 2D last October and an LM3A last month, both carrying national payloads, will be "very helpful to rebuild the customers' confidence in Long March".

Following several failed flights, the first Long March 3B vehicle carrying a commercial payload failed catastrophically after launch in January 1996.

Source: Flight Daily News