China opens 2021 with Tiantong-1 launch via Long March 3B January 19, 2021 China launched the third Tiantong-1 mobile communications satellite on Tuesday. The launch took place at 16:25 UTC using the Long March-3B/G2 – Chang Zheng-3B/G2 (Y74) rocket from the LC2 Launch Complex at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan province. The satellite is an S-band mobile communication satellite developed by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and operated by China SatCom. As the previous satellites in the geosynchronous orbit series, the satellite will provide mobile communications services, including mobile data and multimedia services around China and to the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.