China has launched its remote sensing satellite Yaogan-29 from Taiyuan launch pad in Shanxi province.

State-owned Xinhua agency reported a Long March-4C rocket was carried aboard the Yaogan-29 satellite. It was the 219th launch for the Long March rocket.

Yaogan-29 will be used for carrying out experiments, land surveys, crop yield and disaster relief services.

China recently successfully launched Yaogan-28 satellite and in 2006, the country launched its first Yaogan series satellite, Yaogan-1.

Some experts believe the latest launch of Yaogan-29 is a part of the Chinese Army’s Yaogan Weixing series and will be used for military purposes.

"Yaogan-29 will be used for carrying out experiments, land surveys, crop yield and disaster relief services."

Experts believe the satellite will use electronic intelligence (ELINT), electro-optical and synthetic aperture radar-sensing equipment for military purposes, reported gbtimes.

Following the launch, the Yaogan-29 satellite was placed into a 615km x 619km x 97.8° sunsynchronous orbit. China recently conducted an in-orbit test of Beidou navigation satellite system. The series of tests include high-tech atomic clocks on the satellites.

China has been preparing to launch its own satellite navigational system with US operated GPS, which looks to provide real-time navigation and positioning updates to its users.

Since its launch in 2000, Beidou navigation satellite system covers most of the Asia-Pacific region with 20 active satellites. When a full-scale global navigation system is in operation, the system will cover the entire world.

Last September, the newest version of Beidou satellite navigation system was launched into orbit.