XICHANG -- 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 pm (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.