A Long March-2D rocket carrying two Saudi satellites was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 12:12 p.m. BJT on Friday.
The satellites, Saudi SAT 5A and Saudi SAT 5B, were developed by Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).
The rocket also carried 10 small satellites developed by Chinese research institutes.
A Long March-2D rocket carrying two Saudi satellites launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. /Photo via chinanews.com
Each weighing 425 kilograms, Saudi SAT 5A and Saudi SAT 5B are two low-orbit remote sensing satellites with the payload of a panchromatic/ multi-spectral high-resolution camera.
They are designed to operate for five years with the main goal of obtaining ground images.
The other 10 satellites onboard were developed by several Chinese institutions, including the Hunan-based Spacety and Beijing-based Commsat.
This is the 293rd mission in China's Long March rocket series.