国内英语新闻:China launches new Earth observation satellite

XICHANG, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 11:58 a.m. Sunday (Beijing Time).

The satellite, Gaofen-14, was sent into orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket.

Geofen-14 is an optical stereo mapping satellite. It can efficiently obtain high precision stereo images globally, draw large scale digital topographic map, produce digital elevation models, digital surface models and digital orthophoto images, and provide basic geographic information.

Sunday's launch was the 354th mission of the Long March rocket series.