China sent a new optical remote-sensing satellite for commercial use in the early hours on Wednesday into planned orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China’s Shanxi Province.
The satellite belongs to the Jilin-1 satellite family, also named Red Flag-1 H9, was launched by a Long March-2D carrier rocket.
The new satellite, developed by the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., has a super-wide coverage and a resolution at the sub-meter level. It is also capable of high-speed data storage and transmission.
It will work with the 15 satellites of the Jilin-1 family already sent into orbit to form a constellation that will provide remote-sensing data and services for governmental and industrial users.
The recent launch was the 325th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.
Last year, in September, China launched a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province.
The satellite can also be used to observe chlorophyll concentration, water transparency and total suspended matter concentration in lakes to help monitor the environment and prevent water pollution.
The Yaogan series of satellites are believed to be operated by the Chinese military for intelligence-gathering purposes.
The satellite can report sea ice changes, which could help with ship navigation and make channel risk assessments.
(With inputs from agency)