China launched two ��Shijian-6�� space experiment satellites into space from a north China space center atop a Long March 4-B rocket carrier earlier Thursday.

The rocket lifted off at 7:14 (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China.

Sources from the Xi'an Satellite Tracking Center said one of the satellites, Shijian-6A scientific experiment satellite, separated from the rocket 11 minutes after flight, and the other one, Shijian-6B scientific experiment satellite, disengaged from the carrier one minute later. Both satellites have entered preset orbits.

With a designed life of at least two years, the two satellites would be used to probe space environment, radiation, its effects and space physical environment parameters, and conduct other related space experiments.

This launch is the 79th flight of China's Long March rocket carriers and the 37th consecutive successful one of the vehicle since October of 1996.

The two satellites were made by the Shanghai Academy of Space Flight Technology and Dongfanghong Satellite Co. under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The geospace probing systems aboard the satellites were mainly manufactured by the China Electronics Technology Corporation.

Space experts said China has launched six types of its Shijian scientific experiment satellites since 1971, when its first scientific experiment satellite, or SL-1, was boosted into space.

They said the technological upgrading of the probing systems and the satellites during the past 33 years facilitated the development of the country's satellite-based remote sensing science, which contributed to the country's space exploitation and experiments, and applied space experiments.

China successfully launches two ��shijian-6�� space environment probe satellites with Long March 4-B rocket carrier at 7:14, Sept. 9, 2004, fromthe Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China.(Xinhua photo)