China sent a new telecommunications satellite into space from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Friday morning.

The APSTAR-6E was launched at 2:10 a.m. atop a Long March-2C carrier rocket and entered its planned orbit.

The satellite will mainly be used to provide high-throughput communications services for the Southeast Asian region.

The launch was the 460th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.