China launches new remote-sensing satellite

TAIYUAN - China sent a new optical remote-sensing satellite for commercial use into planned orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi province on Wednesday morning.

The satellite, belonging to the Jilin-1 satellite family, also named Red Flag-1 H9, was launched by a Long March-2D carrier rocket at 10:53 am Beijing time.

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.

Via the same carrier rocket, three small satellites including NewSat7 and NewSat8 developed by an Argentinian company were also sent into space.

The Long March-2D carrier rocket was developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Wednesday's launch was the 325th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.