China on Wednesday sent an experimental satellite into orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country's northwest.

The Shiyan-19 satellite was launched at 7:41 p.m. (Beijing Time) atop a Long March-11 carrier rocket and entered its preset orbit successfully. This satellite is mainly used for land resource surveys, urban planning and disaster prevention and mitigation.

The launch was the 467th flight mission of the China's Long March carrier rocket series. It also marked the 16th consecutive successful launch of the Long March-11 carrier rockets since they were put into service in 2015, according to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

A four-stage solid launch vehicle, the Long March-11 carrier rocket, is about 21 meters in length and 57.7 tonnes in weight, with its maximum diameter reaching 2 meters. It has been developed to launch small spacecraft into solar synchronous and low Earth orbits, with a carrying capacity of 500 kilograms for solar synchronous orbit.

Featuring quick response, the Long March-11 carrier rocket has a short launch cycle and low support requirements for launch site facilities, and can be launched from both the ground and the sea, said the developer.

It is especially suitable for the rapid networking and complementary-network launch of small commercial satellites and constellations.

The Long March-11 has carried out both ground and sea launch missions at multiple sites across China. In 2023, it will continue to carry out sea launch missions.

The successful launches indicate that the Long March-11 carrier rocket is technically mature and will move toward a phase of high-density applications, according to its developer.

(With input from Xinhua)