China's Long March-5 rocket was lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province at around 8:45 p.m. on Friday. After nearly 40 minutes of flight, the rocket successfully delivered its payload - the Shijian 20 communications satellite - into the orbit. The launch paves the way for other major missions of 2020 including the delivery of China's manned space station components, Chang'e-5 lunar probe and China's first mission to Mars. Yang Yuguang, professor at the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and vice chairman of the International Astronautical Federation, talked about the significance of the mission.