YANTAI, Shandong, Aug. 29 -- China launched a CERES-1 carrier rocket from the waters near east China's Shandong Province on Thursday, placing six satellites into planned orbit.

The commercial rocket blasted off at 1:22 p.m. (Beijing Time), carrying Yunyao-1 15, 16 and 17 satellites and three other satellites. The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center carried out the offshore launch.

The launch was the 15th flight mission for the CERES-1 rocket series.