China has launched a new remote sensing satellite; the "Yaogan III". The satellite was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province on 12th November 2007. It has been successfully placed in the orbit.
The 2,700-kilogram satellite will be used for scientific research, land resources surveying, crop yield estimate and disaster prevention and relief. The satellite is developed by the Shanghai Academy of Space flight Technology affiliated to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
The "Yaogan I" satellite was also launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on 27 April 2006, and the "Yaogan II" was launched on 25th May 2007 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Gansu Province.