The satellite was launched into orbit at 2:37 p.m. local time Friday (06:37 GMT) from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the news agency reported.

Kuaizhou II, also known as Speedy Vehicle II, will monitor natural disasters and provide disaster relief information. Kuaizhou I was launched last year in September with the same mission.

Earlier on Thursday, China launched the Yaogan Weixing-24 remote-sensing satellite at 3:12 p.m. local time. Yaogan Weixing-24 will carry out disaster relief monitoring, scientific experiments and assess and estimate crop yields, the news agency said in an earlier report.

The number of military-controlled space activities in China has grown recently. Last week, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced that the country plans to launch about 120 applied satellites.

In early November, China's maiden lunar orbiter successfully flew around the far side of the moon and safely landed back on Earth.

The country aims to operate its own permanent space station by 2020, according to the China National Space Administration.