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China launches 6th remote-sensing satellite

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-22 13:49

TAIYUAN -- China on Wednesday launched the sixth remote-sensing satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north Shanxi Province.

The satellite, "Yaogan VI," was successfully launched into the space on a Long March 2C carrier rocket at 10:55 a.m., a spokesman with the center said.

It will be mainly used for land resources survey, environmental surveillance and protection, urban planning, crop yield estimates, disaster prevention and reduction, and space science experiments, according to the center.

China has so far launched five remote-sensing satellites. The first Chinese remote-sensing satellite blasted off in April 2006, and four more were launched in 2007 and 2008.