China launches new satellite for ocean salinity detection

China on Thursday successfully launched a satellite for ocean salinity detection from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

A Long March-4B Y53 carrier rocket, carrying the satellite, blasted off at 6:42 a.m. Beijing Time and sent the satellite into the preset orbit.

The scientific research satellite, also known as Ocean-4 01, will fill the gap in China's high-precision global ocean salinity detection capabilities, enhance the country's ability to collect data on ocean dynamic environmental factors, improve the accuracy and quality of marine forecasting products, and meet operational needs in areas such as marine environment forecasting, marine ecological forecasting, water cycle monitoring , short-term climate prediction and global climate change research, said the CNSA.

It will also support soil moisture measurements, providing essential data for applications in marine industries, agriculture, disaster mitigation, meteorology and other related sectors.

This launch marks the 545 flight mission of the Long March rocket series.