China successfully sent a communication satellite into space on Tuesday evening.

Conditions of Chinasat-12 are normal after it was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 6:13 p.m. It has reached a preset orbit, according to a monitoring center based in Xi'an.

The satellite, the 13th commercial orbiter operated by the China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd., will provide telecommunications services for its customers in Asia, Africa and Europe.

Manufactured by France's Thales Alenia Space, Chinasat-12 was launched by the Long March-3B carrier rocket. It was the 173rd launch mission for the Long March series of carrier rockets.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2012)