A Long March 2D carrier rocket carrying a space computing satellite constellation blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China, May 14, 2025. [Photo by Wang Jiangbo/For chinadaily.com.cn]

China launched a Long March 2D carrier rocket on May 14, placing a new constellation of space computing satellites into orbit. The launch marks a significant advancement in the country's space-based computing capabilities.

The rocket blasted off at 12:12 pm (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China.

The newly launched 12 computing satellites are the first batch of the "Three-Body Computing Constellation," according to Zhejiang Lab, a research institute based in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province.