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China to launch sixth remote-sensing satellite

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-22 10:16

TAIYUAN -- China is scheduled to launch a new remote-sensing satellite into the space Wednesday, a spokesman with the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north Shanxi Province said Tuesday.

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Both the satellite, "Yaogan VI," and the Long March 2C carrier rocket were in sound condition and the preparation work was well underway, said the spokesman.

China has so far launched five remote-sensing satellites.

The spokesman didn't specify the usage of the satellite, but the previous ones have been used for data collection and transmission involving scientific experiments, land resource surveys, crop yield estimates, and disaster prevention and reduction.

The first Chinese remote-sensing satellite blasted off in April2006, and four more were launched in 2007 and 2008.