China sent a new meteorological satellite into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on Thursday morning.

The satellite, Fengyun-4B (FY-4B), was launched by a Long March-3B rocket at 12:17 a.m. (Beijing Time). It was the 372nd flight mission of the Long March rocket series.

As the first of China's new-generation meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit, the FY-4B will be used in the fields of weather analysis and forecasting, and environmental and disaster monitoring.

The satellite and rocket were respectively developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Both belong to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation..

The FY-4B will form a network with FY-4A, which was launched into space in December 2016, to provide more accurate and faster weather data.