Beijing, Aug 19 (IANS): China Tuesday launched its most advanced earth observation satellite, the Gaofen-2.

The Gaofen-2, the country's second high-definition satellite in orbit, was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China's Shanxi Province at 11.15 a.m., Xinhua reported.

It was boosted by a Long March-4B carrier rocket.

The Gaofen-2 is China's most advanced high-definition earth observation satellite, and is able to see a one-metre-long object from space in full colour.

It will be used for geographic and resources surveillance, environment and climate change monitoring, agriculture, disaster relief and city planning.

The primary users of the satellite will be the ministries of land and resources, housing and urban-rural development, transport, and the state forestry administration.

The Gaofen-2 is the second of seven satellites to be launched for China's indigenous high-definition observation project Gaofen before 2020. The project was initiated in May 2010.

The Gaofen-1, the first satellite of the project, was launched in April 2013.

The Gaofen-1 has also assisted China's search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 and played an important role in city development in Beijing, Hebei province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.