China launches Jilin-1 commercial satellites

A Long March-2D rocket carrying a group of eight satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, May 5, 2022. Satellite Jilin-1 Kuanfu 01C, together with seven Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D satellites, was lifted at 10:38 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi and soon entered the preset orbit. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua)

TAIYUAN, May 5 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday launched a Long March-2D rocket to place a group of eight satellites in space.

Satellite Jilin-1 Kuanfu 01C, together with seven Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D satellites, was lifted at 10:38 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi and soon entered the preset orbit.

With its wide coverage, Jilin-1 Kuanfu 01C can provide images with a width of more than 150 km, a panchromatic resolution of 0.5 meters and a multi-spectral resolution of 2 meters. The satellite also boasts super-large storage and high-speed data transmission.

It will be used to provide commercial remote sensing data services for sectors such as land resource, mineral exploration and smart city construction.

Developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd., the eight new satellites will work with 46 previously launched satellites of the Jilin-1 family to form a constellation, providing remote sensing data and services in fields like agriculture, forestry and environmental protection.

This was the 419th flight mission of the Long March rocket series.