At 00:12 Beijing Time on January 17, 2010, the 3rd BeiDou (COMPASS) satellite was successfully launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) aboard a Long March 3C (LM-3C) launch vehicle. According to the data from Xi’an Satellite Control Center (XSCC)，the satellite successfully entered into the pre-determined orbit,.
The LM-3C launch vehicle is developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), and the satellite is designed and manufactured by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). CALT and CAST are both subsidiaries of China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASC). This launch marks the 122nd flight of Long March series of launch vehicles, and the 3rd successful launch of LM-3C. This is the first launch of the LM-3A series of launch vehicles after the PALAPA-D launch by LM-3B on August 31, 2009.
Apart from the numbers of the boosters, the LM-3C launch vehicle is identical to the LM-3B launch vehicle used for the PALAPA-D launch mission. Through the analysis and test after the PALAPA-D launch anomaly, the root cause of the anomaly has been found, and the corrective actions have been taken, which have been flight- proven in this successful flight of LM-3C.