A Long March-3B rocket successfully sent test satellite Shijian-25 into space Tuesday morning, marking China's first rocket launch in 2025.
The Long March-3B is China's first carrier rocket series to complete 100 launches, having served the construction of China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and China's lunar exploration program.
Mainly used to launch high-orbit spacecraft and satellites, the Long March-3B rockets will serve more than 10 major space missions this year, including asteroid exploration.
The Long March-3B rocket carrying the Shijian-25 test satellite blasted off at 04:00 Beijing Time from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, bringing the payload into the preset orbit later.
The satellite is primarily used for the verification of satellite fuel replenishment and life extension service technologies, according to the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the Shijian-25's developer.
The launch marked the 555th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.
"The Tuesday launch is the first mission of China's Long March series carrier rockets in 2025. The relevant teams dedicated to this rocket model have taken more than 40 strict measures to make full-scale preparations and ensure a complete success of the launch mission," said Qin Yi, an official of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
Long March-3B rocket mission marks first launch of new year
Long March-3B rocket mission marks first launch of new year
China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday aired a grand New Year gala to welcome the arrival of 2026 with celebrations focused on the richness of Chinese culture, and blending traditional arts with contemporary creativity in a nationwide showcase of unity and joy.
Titled "Sail into 2026," the gala was staged in Lyuliang City, north China's Shanxi Province, and featured over 60 meticulously crafted performances. From vibrant song and dance routines to performances of traditional Chinese instrumental music, opera and martial arts, the gala embraced a wide variety of artistic styles, reflecting the depth of cultural heritage and the spirit of contemporary innovation.
The show vividly captured regional transformations across China, from the innovative dynamism of the Yangtze River Delta in east China to the cultural vitality of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in the northern part of the country. It also presented the energetic harmony of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area city cluster in the south, as well as heartfelt New Year wishes from China's Taiwan region.
The gala also shone a spotlight on ordinary individuals who made a difference in 2025. It also featured fresh works from a new wave of public cultural creators. Through these stories and performances, the gala offered a panoramic celebration of people nationwide joyfully embracing the New Year, together painting a hopeful picture of peace, prosperity and unity.
The gala was broadcast live at 20:00 on December 31 across CMG platforms including CCTV-1, CCTV-3, major radio frequencies, and new media outlets such as CCTV News.
CMG presents culture-rich New Year Gala to ring in 2026
