China launches a land resources exploration satellite into a preset orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert, China, on Jan. 13, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Jiangbo)

China launched a land resources exploration satellite into a preset orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert at 3:10 p.m. Saturday Beijing Time.

A Long March-2D rocket carried the satellite into space.

The launch was the 263th mission of the Long March rocket series.