China launches high-power communications, broadcast satellite 

A SINO Satellite Communications Co. Ltd. (SINOSAT) official said SinoSat-2 will greatly help China to tap the international space flight market, improve the capacity, safety and reliability of China's information broadcast and conduct live TV broadcast.

Earlier this month, Sun Laiyan, chief of the China National Space Administration, said that the satellite would enable every farming household to receive TV signals using a small dish, thereby bringing educational programs and even remote medical services to farmers.

Industrial sources said the launch was a milestone for the communication sector and would most probably speed up the reform of China's satellite TV service by prompting the abolishment of a 13-year-old regulation banning individuals from setting up dish antennas.

Industry analysts predict that once individuals are allowed to install satellite dishes, up to 100 million households will do so between 2006 and 2010.

China currently has about 400 million television sets, a huge potential market for satellite TV.

SinoSat-1, launched in July 1998, was bought from abroad mainly to undertake China's radio and TV broadcast and communications services in the Asia-Pacific Region.

SinoSat-3, especially for radio and TV services, is now in the stage of research and development. It will be put into operation in 2007.

Editor:Wang Ping