China has launched its first data relay satellite Tianlian-1 to support the country’s human spaceflight program.
The major application of the satellite will be to enhance communications for China’s Shenzhou manned spacecraft, which previously have only been able to communicate when in range of a ground station or tracking ship.

The satellite, developed by China Aero-space Science and Technology Corporation, was the first for China in 2008, Radio China reported.
The spacecraft is billed as China’s first data relay satellite, designed to transfer data from other Chinese satellites to ground stations.