Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center launches New Satellite

China on Friday successfully sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China’s Shanxi Province.

The Gaofen-11 05 satellite lifted off at 11:03 Beijing Time atop a Long March-4B carrier rocket and entered its intended orbit. This satellite will serve a variety of critical functions including national land surveys, urban planning, land rights verification, road network planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster response efforts.

Moreover, it will play a crucial role in providing information security for countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, supporting their implementation of the national strategies and modernization of their national defenses. The launch marked the 528th successful flight mission for China’s Long March series of carrier rockets.