China will launch a new satellite for television broadcasting, mobile communications and other services in late October this year, Sun Laiyan, administrator of the China National Space Administration said on Monday.

The satellite, "Xinnuo 2", was given the green light to leave the factory on Monday after passing final checks by the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. A Long March 3B carrier rocket will be used to launch the satellite.

"Xinnuo 2" is China's first large-capacity communications satellite, according to experts from the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology.

The satellite, designed to have a life span of 15 years, will provide live television broadcasting services to the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

"Xinnuo 2", which has taken China six years to develop, marks a breakthrough in China's development of a new generation of large-capacity static orbit satellites, Sun said.

China achieved several important technology breakthroughs through independent research during the development of the satellite and possesses the intellectual property rights to these technologies, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2006)