China launched a Long March-8A carrier rocket on Saturday in the southern island province of Hainan, sending a group of internet satellites into space.

The rocket lifted off at 3:53 p.m. from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. It successfully placed the payloads, the 14th group of low-orbit internet satellites, into preset orbit.

Saturday's mission is the 612th launch of the Long March series of rockets.