Posted: Sun, Mar 25, 2018, 10:39 AM ET (1439 GMT)

China launched an Earth-imaging satellite March 17. A Long March 2D lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 3:10 am EDT (0710 GMT) and placed the LKW-4 satellite into orbit. The satellite is described as a "land exploration satellite" by Chinese media, but is widely assumed to be the latest in a new series of military reconnaissance satellites.