China's Smart Dragon-3 rocket lifts 14 satellites in maiden flight

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)

YANTAI, Shandong, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- China launched a Smart Dragon-3 rocket at the Yellow Sea on Friday, placing 14 satellites into planned orbit.

The commercial rocket blasted off at 2:35 p.m. (Beijing Time). The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center conducted the offshore launch mission.

It was the maiden flight of the Smart Dragon-3 rocket. 

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)

A Smart Dragon-3 rocket carrying 14 satellites blasts off in the Yellow Sea Dec. 9, 2022. (Photo by Guo Houze/Xinhua)