China on Tuesday launched its CERES-1 Y3 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.

The rocket blasted off at 12:11 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the launch site, sending three satellites into planned orbit. The three satellites include two Taijing-1 satellites for commercial remote sensing services and the Donghai-1 satellite to verify multi-mode remote sensing technology of certain cameras.

Developed by the Beijing-based company Galactic Energy, the 20-meter-long CERES-1 is a small-scale solid-propellant carrier rocket capable of sending micro-satellites into orbit.

The launch was the third flight mission of the CERES-1 rocket series.

(With input from Xinhua)