BEIJING, Dec.  25 (China Space News) -- China launched a land exploration satellite into a preset orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert at 12:14 p.m. Saturday Beijing Time.

The satellite is mainly used for remote sensing exploration of land resources.

A Long March-2D rocket carried the satellite into space.

The launch was the 259th mission of the Long March rocket series.