China sent two satellites for the detection of gravitational waves into planned orbit from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Thursday morning.
The two satellites, with the Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) mission, were launched by a Long March-11 carrier rocket at 4:14 a.m. Beijing Time, according to the center.
A Long March-11 rocket blasts off carrying two satellites for the detection of gravitational waves, Xichang, Sichuan Province, southwest China, December 10, 2020. /CCTV
The GECAM satellites will be used to monitor high-energy celestial phenomena, such as gravitational wave gamma-ray bursts, high-energy radiation of fast radio bursts, special gamma-ray bursts and magnetar bursts, besides studying neutron stars, black holes and other compact objects and their merger processes. They will also detect high-energy radiation phenomena in space, such as solar flares, Earth gamma flashes and Earth electron beams, providing observation data for scientists.
The GECAM project is being carried out by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Long March-11 rocket was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Thursday's launch is the 355th mission of the Long March rocket series.