China has launched a remote-sensing satellite and a university-built satellite on a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan space centre in the Shanxi province of northern China.

The remote-sensing satellite, Yaogan XII, will be used to conduct scientific experiments, carry out surveys on land resources, estimate crop yield and help with natural disaster-reduction and prevention.

In addition, the satellite will also collect intelligence for the Chinese military.

The second satellite, Tianxun 1, built by Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, will conduct technological verification tests in orbit.

It was China’s 14th space launch attempt this year and all but one of the missions have been successful.