On this day, 27 years ago, on July 18, 1998 (May 25, 1998, the Long March rocket launched the European-made "Sinuo 1" communication satellite. At 17:20 Beijing time on July 18, 1998, the Chinese-made "Long March 3B" carrier rocket was launched again at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, successfully launching the "Sino-1" communication satellite mainly produced by French Aerospace Corporation. Put it into a predetermined orbit. This is the first communications satellite made by a European country launched by China's Long March series of launch vehicles. This launch is the 53rd launch of the Long March series of launch vehicles. The rocket separated after 1495 seconds of flight. Twenty minutes later, data from the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring and Control Center showed that the satellite had successfully entered the geosynchronous transfer orbit with a perigee altitude of 600 kilometers, an apogee altitude of 35946 kilometers, and an inclination angle of 19 degrees in accordance with the requirements for orbit entry stipulated in the launch service contract. After that, the satellite will be monitored and controlled by French Aerospace, and the satellite will be fixed above the equator at 110.5 degrees east longitude. This commercial launch service contract was signed in July 1996 between China Great Wall Industry Corporation and Huade Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd., headquartered in Germany. The "Sinuo 1" satellite is the first commercial communication satellite operated by China Sinuo Satellite Communications Co., Ltd. The satellite is equipped with 24 C-band transponders and 14 Ku-band transponders, covering the Asia-Pacific region, including China and neighboring countries. It mainly provides users such as the National Financial Electronic Project, the National Air Traffic Control System, and the Shanghai Information Port Project. multiple services. The satellite has a design life of 15 years. The "Long March 3B" carrier rocket used to launch the "Sino-1" satellite is currently the most powerful carrier rocket developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. It can deliver a payload of 5000 kilograms into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Since the successful launch of the Mabuhai communication satellite on August 20 last year, the "Long March 3B" carrier rocket has successfully launched the satellite into the predetermined orbit four times in a row, demonstrating good technical performance, reliability and adaptability. According to statistics, before this launch, my country successfully launched a total of 10 foreign geosynchronous orbit communication satellites and 6 low-orbit "Iridium satellites" with Long March carrier rockets, all made in the United States.