A Long March-2C carrier rocket carrying the Yaogan-23 remote sensing satellite blasts off from the launch pad at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 14, 2014. The satellite,which was launched at 2:53 a.m. Saturday, will be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveying, estimating crop yields and disaster relief.The launch marks the 198th flight of the Long March rocket series.(Xinhua/Yan Yan)

TAIYUAN, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- China launched the Yaogan-23 remote sensing satellite into scheduled orbit at 2:53 a.m. on Saturday Beijing Time from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

The satellite will mainly be used for scientific experiments, natural resource surveys, crop yield estimates and disaster relief.

It was carried by a Long March-2C rocket, marking the 198th mission for the Long March rocket family.

China launched the first satellite in the "Yaogan" series, Yaogan-1, in 2006.