WENCHANG, Hainan -- China sent a new communication technology test satellite into space from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan on Wednesday.

The satellite was launched at 12:16 am (Beijing time) aboard a modified Long March 7 carrier rocket and has entered its preset orbit.

The satellite is primarily intended for verifying multi-band, high-speed satellite communication technologies.

This mission marked the 645th flight of the Long March carrier rocket series.