China launched a Long March-7A rocket to place two satellites in space on Thursday.

The rocket blasted off at 6:12 p.m. (Beijing Time) at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in southern Hainan Province and soon sent Shiyan-12 01 and Shiyan-12 02 satellites into preset orbit.

Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the pair of satellites will do space environment surveys and other related technology tests.

As a modified version of the Long March-7 rocket, the launch vehicle represents the new generation of China's medium-sized high-orbit rocket.

It has three stages and a total length of 60.7 meters, making the Long March-7A the tallest rocket in service in China.

With four 2.25m-diameter additional boosters, the liquid-fueled rocket can send a payload of 7 tonnes to geosynchronous transfer orbit, about 36,000 km above the Earth's equator.

The mission marked the 402nd flight of the Long March carrier rockets.