China launches environment-monitoring satellites into space

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – China on Tuesday launched three environment-monitoring satellites into space.

Identified as Shiyan, meaning “experiment”, the satellites were blasted into their orbit at around 7.50 a.m. (2350GMT Monday) from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi.

Home-built Long March-6 rocket carried the three satellites named Shiyan-16A, Shiyan-16B and Shiyan-17 into the preset orbit.

“The Shiyan satellite trio will provide data for land survey, urban planning, and disaster prevention and mitigation,” state-run Xinhua News reported.

Tuesday’s mission was the 440th flight of the Long March series rockets.

On Monday, China launched another remote sensing satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.