China on Saturday launched an astronomical satellite, the result of nearly 20 years of hard work between Chinese and French scientists, to capture gamma-ray bursts which flicker like fireworks in the farthest reaches of the universe.

The satellite, the Space-based Multi-band Variable Object Monitor (SVOM), was launched by a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the China National Space Administration.

The satellite has been sent into an orbit over 600 kilometers above Earth and has a designed life of five years, though scientists expect it could be operational for as long as 20 years.

Four scientific instruments are installed on the satellite, two of which have been developed by China and two by France. The four instruments can realize a large field of view and high-precision observation.