Updated By: LatestGKGS Desk
China launches 'Gaofen 11' high-resolution Earth observation satellite: Details
China launches 'Gaofen 11' high-resolution Earth observation satellite: Details, Features, Highlights
China successfully launched Gaofen-11, an optical remote sensing satellite, as part of the country’s high-resolution Earth observation project.
The Gaofen 11 was launched on board of Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province. It was overall 282nd flight mission by Long March carrier rocket.
The Gaofen 11 is a sub-meter resolution optical satellite. It was developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). It is the sixth in Gaofen series launched this year, following triplet of Gaofen-1 satellites and larger Gaofen-5 and Gaofen-6, all placed in Sun-synchronous orbits.
The Gaofen 11 will become part of China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS) initiated in 2010 to provide all-weather, all-day coverage by 2020 with optical and synthetic aperture radar satellites, and could also include airborne and near-space systems such as stratospheric balloons.
The Gaofen 11 satellite will be used for land survey, urban planning, road network design, agriculture, and disaster relief. Its data will also be used for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China had unveiled BRI in 2013 with aim to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes.
