TAIYUAN, Sept. 12  (China Space News) -- China sent three satellites into planned orbits from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Thursday.

They were launched on a Long March-4B carrier rocket at 11:26 a.m. Thursday Beijing Time.

The ZY-1 02D satellite is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and is an important part of China's space-based infrastructure.

It will provide observation data for natural resources asset management, ecological monitoring, disaster prevention and control, environmental protection, urban construction, transportation and contingency management.

With an expected lifespan of five years, ZY-1 02D will form a network with more satellites to follow.

Thursday's launch is the 310th mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.