China launchs a new communication satellite “APSTAR-6C” into orbit

China has successfully launched a new communication satellite “APSTAR-6C” into orbit by the Long March 3B launch vehicle from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at Sichuan province of China. The satellite is based on the Dong Fang Hong 4 (DFH-4) platform and with a designed life of 15 years. It will provide TV transmission, communication, internet, and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region. The user of the satellite is Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Co. Ltd. Both the satellite and the rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).