Beijing: China on October 27 successfully launched an earth resource ZY-2 satellite, marking the arrival of the Chinese space industry among the world's best.

The second ZY-2 satellite was put into orbit with a indigenously built 'long-march 4- b' carrier rocket that blasted off at 08:43 IST on October 27 from the Taiyuan Launching Centre in North China's Shanxi province.

The satellite, which separated from the rocket after 10 minutes into space, is operating smoothly, Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese Space officials as saying.

The new satellite is a transmitting-type remote sensing. It is mainly intended for territorial survey, environment monitoring and protection, urban planning, crop- yield assessment, disaster monitoring and space-scientific experiment.

China launched a satellite of the same type in September 2000, the first ZY-2 that is still operating normally in space. Chinese scientists said the new satellite is superior to the previous one in overall properties and technology.

The long-march 4-b carrier rocket has made four successful launches before.

Meanwhile, space official said China has formed a complete and modern system of aerospace launches.

He said China's three aerospace launching sites in Jiuquan in Central China's Gansu province, Taiyuan in North China's Shanxi province and Xichang in South West China's Sichuan province now are capable of launching spacecraft into high, medium and low orbits.

China has also established a globally advanced aerospace monitoring system based on both land and sea.

PTI