China launches Yunhai-1 meteorological satellite

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.