China successfully launched a new optical remote-sensing satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 10:27 Sunday (Beijing Time).
The satellite, Gaofen-9 05, was sent into orbit by a Long March-2D carrier rocket. A multifunctional test satellite and another satellite named Tiantuo-5 were also launched via the rocket.
The Gaofen-9 05 satellite, with a resolution up to the sub-meter level, will be mainly used for land surveys, city planning, land right confirmation, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster prevention and mitigation. It will also provide information for the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The test satellite, designed and built by the Academy of the Military Sciences, will test some latest technologies, including communications, navigation and remote-sensing.
The Tiantuo-5 satellite, designed and built by the National University of Defense Technology, will carry out tests on the latest information-gleaning technology for aircraft, ships, etc.
Sunday's launch was the 343rd mission of the Long March rocket series.
(Source: Reuters)