China launched a marine observation satellite on Thursday to improve its oceanographic research capability, according to a joint statement from the China National Space Administration and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The HY-1D blasted off atop a Long March 2C carrier rocket at 2:31 am from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China's Shanxi province and was later placed in a sun-synchronous orbit, the statement said.

The satellite carries five scientific equipments and is expected to operate in the orbit for five years.

It will work with its predecessor – HY-1C that was launched in September 2018 – to set up a small network for scientific marine observation that will boost the research on global climate change.

Designed and built by China Spacesat, a satellite developer under the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing, HY-1D's major structure is based on the CAST2000 platform.

China launched its first marine observation satellite, HY-1A, in May 2002, laying the foundation for an oceanographic monitoring system. The second in the series, HY-1B, was launched in April 2007.