China launches new high-resolution observation satellite

China launched a Long March 3B carrier rocket Sunday shortly before noon at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province to deploy its latest high-resolution Earth-observation satellite.

The rocket blasted off at 11:58 am in the 354th flight of the Long March family and later placed the Gaofen 14 high-resolution optical mapping satellite in space, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation’s major space contractor that built the rocket and the satellite.

The State-owned conglomerate said in a statement that the satellite is tasked with obtaining high-definition stereoscopic images of the globe that can be used to generate large-scale digital topographic maps, digital orthophoto maps and other products.

This has been the 116th launch mission of the Long March 3 series and also the first time for Long March 3B to transport a spacecraft to a sun-synchronous orbit.

Designers and engineers at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology modified the rocket’s control system software to enable the 58-meter vehicle to carry out flights to sun-synchronous orbit, the academy said.