A Gaofen 12C satellite is sent into orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu province on June 27, 2022. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

China launched a Gaofen 12C high-resolution Earth observation satellite late Monday night, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.

The satellite was lifted into orbit on a Long March 4C carrier rocket that blasted off at 11:46 pm from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China. It is tasked with land mapping, urban construction planning, agricultural yield forecasting, disaster prevention and relief and other operations, the State-owned space contractor said in a news release.

Both the satellite and the rocket were built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a CASC subsidiary.

A Gaofen 12C satellite is sent into orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu province on June 27, 2022. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

With a liftoff weight of 250 metric tons, the Long March 4C rocket is mainly used to send satellites to sun-synchronous orbit. It is capable of transporting satellites with a combined weight of 3 tons to an orbit 700 kilometers above the earth.

The launch marked the 425th flight mission of the Long March series rockets.

China has carried out 20 space launch missions this year, and over 40 more are planned by year's end.

A Gaofen 12C satellite is sent into orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu province on June 27, 2022. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn)

China launched the Gaofen program in May 2010 and listed it as one of the nation's 16 most important science and technology projects. The program has established a space-based, high-resolution Earth observation network with dozens of Gaofen satellites in service.

Images and data from the satellites have been widely used in more than 20 industries across China and have helped reduce the country's dependence on foreign remote-sensing products.