China launches remote sensing satellite

China launched a Long March 6A carrier rocket on Sunday night to send a remote-sensing satellite into orbit, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The State-owned space contractor said in a news release that the rocket blasted off at 9:22 pm at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province and transported the Yaogan 50B satellite into its preset orbit.

Built by the China Academy of Space Technology, the satellite will obtain data to assist in land resource surveys, agricultural yields forecasts and disaster prevention and mitigation.

The Yaogan, or Remote-Sensing, series satellites are China's largest family of Earth-observation satellites and have different payloads including radar and optical lens. Data and images obtained by them have been widely used in government, public service sectors and businesses.

The Long March 6A rocket model was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology as a medium-lift launch vehicle. It consists of a 50-meter, liquid-propelled core booster and four solid-fuel side boosters. The rocket has a liftoff weight of 530 metric tons and is tasked with transporting satellites to multiple types of orbit, including sun-synchronous, low-Earth and intermediate circular orbit.

The launch marked the 15th space mission in China this year and the 633rd flight of the Long March rocket fleet.