China's new medium-lift carrier rocket Long March-8 blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of southern China's island province of Hainan, Dec. 22, 2020. The Long March-8 made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending five satellites into planned orbit, according to the China National Space Administration. The rocket has a total length of 50.3 meters, with a takeoff mass of 356 tonnes. It can carry a payload of at least 4.5 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 km. (Xinhua/Zhou Jiayi)
