JIUQUAN, Nov. 21  -- A satellite for natural disaster monitoring was successfully launched into orbit at 2:37 p.m. Friday, China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center announced.

The satellite Kuaizhou II, or speedy vessel II, will be used to monitor natural disasters and provide disaster-relief information.

The satellite was carried by a small launch vehicle bearing the same name as the vessel Kuaizhou.

China launched the first Kuaizhou satellite in September last year.