HAIYANG, Shandong, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A Smart Dragon-3 rocket lifted off on Sunday in east China's Shandong Province, sending the satellite group CentiSpace 02 into the planned orbit.

The rocket blasted off at 11:49 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the sea near the city of Haiyang. Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center conducted the offshore launch mission.