China launches new Earth observation satellite

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Gaofen-13 02, a new Earth observation satellite, blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on March 17, 2023. The satellite will be mainly used in land surveys, crop yield estimation, environmental governance, meteorological early warning and forecasting, as well as comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation. (Photo by Ying Longfei/Xinhua)

XICHANG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The satellite, Gaofen-13 02, was launched at 16:33 p.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket, and entered its planned orbit successfully.

The satellite will be mainly used in land surveys, crop yield estimation, environmental governance, meteorological early warning and forecasting, as well as comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation.

It was the 468th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. 

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Gaofen-13 02, a new Earth observation satellite, blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on March 17, 2023. The satellite will be mainly used in land surveys, crop yield estimation, environmental governance, meteorological early warning and forecasting, as well as comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation. (Photo by Ying Longfei/Xinhua)

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Gaofen-13 02, a new Earth observation satellite, blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on March 17, 2023. The satellite will be mainly used in land surveys, crop yield estimation, environmental governance, meteorological early warning and forecasting, as well as comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation. (Photo by Ying Longfei/Xinhua)

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying the Gaofen-13 02, a new Earth observation satellite, blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on March 17, 2023. The satellite will be mainly used in land surveys, crop yield estimation, environmental governance, meteorological early warning and forecasting, as well as comprehensive disaster prevention and mitigation. (Photo by Ying Longfei/Xinhua)