On 3 July, China launched a new oceanographic satellite "Haiyan-2E" from the Jiuquan launch site in the north-west of the country. The "Changcheng-4B" rocket launched at 7:46 am Beijing time and successfully brought the satellite into its planned orbit.

This launch was the 654 for the "Changcheng" series of rockets ("Great March"). Haiyan-2E satellite is designed to study the ocean and monitor the marine environment, continuing China’s ocean research program.