China launches new disaster monitoring satellite

A satellite for monitoring natural disasters was successfully launched into orbit at 2.37 p.m. Friday, China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre announced.

The Kuaizhou II or speedy vessel II satellite will be used to monitor natural disasters and provide disaster relief information, Xinhua reported.

The satellite was carried by a small launch vehicle bearing the same name as the Kuaizhou.

China launched its first Kuaizhou satellite last September.