China: China’s most sophisticated earth observation satellite, Gaofen-4, went into space on Tuesday. Gaofen-4 is a part of the country's high-definition (HD) earth observation project. The spacecraft was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket.
The head of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) and and China National Space Administration, Xu Dazhe, says that Gaofen-4 is China's first geosynchronous orbit HD optical imaging satellite and the world's most sophisticated HD geosynchronous orbit remote sensing satellite. It will be used for disaster prevention and relief, surveillance of geological disasters and forest disasters, and meteorologic forecast.
The Gaofen project aims to launch seven high-definition observation satellites before 2020.
Source: Xinhua
