China launches new satellite to monitor atmospheric, space environments

TAIYUAN -- China launched a new satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in its northern Shanxi province on Wednesday morning.

A modified version of a Long March-6 rocket carrying the Yunhai-3 02 satellite lifted off at 6:51 am (Beijing Time).

The satellite has entered the preset orbit and will be used for atmospheric and marine environment surveys, space environment monitoring, disaster prevention and reduction, and scientific experiments.

The launch was the 514th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.