China sent a new marine satellite into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Thursday. A Long March-4B rocket carrying the Haiyang-2E satellite took off at 7:46 a.m., sending the satellite into the planned orbit. The launch was the 654th by the Long March rocket series.

The satellite will be mainly used for safeguarding maritime rights and interests, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine resource development, and marine scientific research.