UPDATE - China launches satellite for remote sensing

UPDATES WITH SECOND LAUNCH; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Tuesday launched a satellite for remote sensing from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, state-run Xinhua News reported.

The Yaogan-45 satellite was successfully launched at 10 am (0200GMT) aboard a modified Long March-7 carrier rocket and has reached its designated orbit.

Its primary purposes will include scientific research, land resource mapping, crop yield predictions, and disaster prevention and relief efforts.

This launch marked the 594th mission of the Long March rocket series.

Earlier in the day, China also launched a new group of constellation satellites into space in a single mission aboard a Smart Dragon-3 rocket from eastern Shandong province.

The rocket, carrying 11 satellites, took off at 3.48 am (1948GMT Monday) from the sea near the city of Rizhao, successfully putting the Geely-05 constellation satellites into their planned orbit.

The offshore launch mission was carried out by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.