Shijian - "Practice" - in Mandarin, is the primary name for the experimental telecommunications satellite for this mission.

It will serve as a technology demonstration platform operating in Geostationary Orbit 35,786 km (22,236 miles) above Earth's surface.

Onboard will be equipment that will improve China's high-throughput satellite communication capability.

The satellite will also test new China-produced ion thrusters and a laser communication payload.

A similar satellite, known as Shijian-18, was lost on the launch failure of the Long March 5 in 2017.

Chang Zheng 5 (and 5B)

This is China's heavy lift rocket. Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the Chang Zheng 5 can take:

• 25,000 kg to Low Earth Orbit
• 14,000 kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit
• 8,200 kg to the Moon.

The rocket's engineers undertook 20 years of study before the program was approved by the Chinese government in 2007.

It flew for the first time in 2016, but its first two missions were less than perfect. The first flight dropped the payload off in a wrong - but "workable" - orbit. The second launch failed.

After this, the rocket's booster engines were redesigned. The third flight was a success, paving the way for a host of critical missions.

In 2020, the Chang Zheng 5 launched China's Chang'e 5 lunar sample return mission, a new crewed spacecraft, and the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars.

The rocket is also tasked with launching China's multi-module space station, for which it uses the Chang Zheng 5B variant that replaces the second stage with the payload (the station module) being launched instead.

Wenchang is a former suborbital test site located in Wenchang, Hainan, China.

It is China's southernmost launch site. Located on an island, rocket stages are delivered via ship.

Construction of the orbital launch pads was approved on September 27th, 2007, and the launch site was completed in October 2014 with the first orbital launch taking place on June 25th, 2016.

The site has two active launch pads, with a third planned. LC-1 is used to launch the Chang Zheng 5 rocket while LC-2 is used for the Chang Zheng 7 and 8 rocket families.

Operations at Wenchang are managed by the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Image: CMSA