China launches Earth-observing satellite

China launched a Long March-2D rocket on Sunday, placing a new Earth-observing satellite into space.

Coded Yunhai-1 04, the satellite was lifted at 8:54 a.m. Beijing Time from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China and soon entered the preset orbit.

It will provide detection services of the atmosphere, sea and space. It will also provide information that would aid disaster prevention and mitigation as well as for scientific experiments.

This launch marked the 491st mission for the Long March rocket family. CGTN