China’s Long March 3B rocket was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Wednesday night, but the mission continued successfully.
Despite the lightning strike, the rocket placed the Tianlian-2 06 communications relay satellite into its planned orbit.
The successful launch adds the sixth satellite to China’s second-generation Tianlian-2 network, strengthening the country’s space-to-ground communications and expanding coverage for future space missions.
