The Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying China's Yunhai-1 satellite blasts off from the launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, Northwest China's Gansu province, Nov 12, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

JIUQUAN - China sent into space a meteorological satellite, Yunhai-1, at 7:14 a.m. Saturday from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China's gobi desert.

Yunhai-1 was carried by a Long March-2D rocket, the 240th mission for the Long March rocket family.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the satellite will be used for observation of atmospheric, marine and space environment, disaster prevention and mitigation, and scientific experiments.