Aug. 24 (China Military News cited from Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a mapping satellite, "Mapping satellite - I," from the northwestern Jiuquan satellite Launch Center at 3:10 p.m. (Beijing time) Tuesday.

The satellite, which was launched on a Long March 2-D carrier rocket, had entered into the preset orbit, according to the center.

The satellite, developed by a company under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), would be mainly used to conduct scientific experiments, carry out surveys on land resources, and mapping, said a statement on the Ministry of National Defense website.

The remote sensing information and test results from the satellite would promote the country's scientific research and economic development, said the statement.

The launch was the 128th for China's Long March series of rockets since April 24, 1970, when a Long March-1 rocket successfully sent the country's first satellite Dongfanghong-1 into the space.

Aug. 10 (China Military News cited from Xinhua.com) -- China on Tuesday successfully put into orbit another remote-sensing satellite, "Yaogan X", from the Taiyuan satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.

The satellite was sent into space aboard a Long March 4C carrier rocket at 6:49 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the center.

The satellite will be used to conduct scientific experiment, carry out surveys on land resources, estimate crops yield and help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention endeavor.

Its predecessor "Yaogan IX" was launched from the Jiuquan satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province in March.