China launches earth-observation satellite

China launches the Tianhui 1-04 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China at noon on July 29. - chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING (China Daily/ANN): China launched an Earth-observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the northwestern Gobi Desert on Thursday (July 29), according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The State-owned space giant said the satellite, called Tianhui 1-04, was carried by a Long March 2D carrier rocket that blasted off at 12:01pm. This was the 381st launch by a Long March-series rocket.