ISTANBUL

China on Friday launched a new group of satellites, state media reported.

The Tianhui 5-02 satellite group lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China's northern Shanxi province.

The indigenous Long March-6 carrier rocket carried the satellites, which entered their designated orbits.

The satellites will be used for geographic mapping, land resource surveys, and scientific experiments.

This marked the 527th mission of the Chinese-built Long March rocket.