China has launched a new data relay satellite “Tianlian I-02” which would be part of a network to provide data relay and measurement and control service for China’s spacecrafts and planned space stations.

The satellite was launched on a Long March-3C carrier rocket last night from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest Sichuan Province.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the satellite is the country’s second data relay satellite. China launched its first data relay satellite “Tianlian I-01” on April 25, 2008.

The two satellites will form a network to offer data relay and measurement and control service for China’s spacecrafts and planned space stations, according to the centre. They will help to accomplish China’s first space docking, scheduled for the second half of 2011.

China plans to launch Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 spacecraft in the latter half of this year, and they will perform the nation’s first space docking. The fresh launch is the 140th mission of China’s Long March series of rocket.

Two more Shenzhou spaceships will dock with Tiangong-1 next year, and one will be manned by two or three astronauts, according to the China Manned Space Engineering Office, which was the main user of the Tianlian I series data relay satellites.

The world’s first data relay satellite was launched by the United States in 1983. The US now has six such satellites.

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