A Chang Zheng-4B (CZ-4B) launch vehicle lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre (TSLC) at 14:22 local time (06:22 GMT) on 26 June. Carried atop the rocket was Gaofen 8 (Gaofen = “High Resolution”), an Earth-obsevation satellite designed to provide high-resolution images of Earth surfaces.
Gaofen 8 is the third satellite in China’s HDEOS (High-Definition Earth-Observation Satellite) programme. The satellites’ primary goal is to provide NRT (Near-Real-Time) observations for disaster prevention and relief, climate change monitoring, geographical mapping, environmental and resource surveying, and precision agriculture support. Unlike the military Yaogan reconnaissance satellites, the HDEOS satellites are intended for civil uses, supplementing other high-definition observation platforms such as aircraft and near-space systems to provide high-quality (<1 m), near-real-time imagery capability. The programme is managed by the Chinese State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), and is one of the 16 key programmes outlined in China’s science and technology development plan for 2006—20. Gaofen 1 and 2 were launched in April 2013 and August 2014 respectively. The mission is the second space launch conducted by China in 2015.
