On September 27 at 06:19 UTC, a Chinese Kuaizhou 1A launched Jilin-1 Gaofen 02D into sun-synchronous orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China.

Jilin-1 Gaofen 02D is a commercial high-resolution optical imaging satellite capable of 75-centimeter ground resolution in panchromatic or black and white mode, with a swath width — that’s the remote sensing term for the width of an image — larger than 40 kilometers. The resolution is good enough to identify an individual car but not read its license plate. It is sensitive to visible and near-infrared wavelengths, which is useful for determining how much water is absorbed by a patch of ground.

The Kuaizhou 1A is a four-stage launch vehicle developed from the two-stage solid DF-21 road-mobile medium-range ballistic missile first deployed in 1991, with one additional solid stage and a liquid propellant fourth stage to turn it into a space launch vehicle capable of putting 400 kilograms into orbit. Like the ballistic missile it is derived from, the rocket is launched from the back of a transporter truck parked and set up on a concrete pad.

Jilin 1 02D is the next satellite in the Jilin 1 02 series. Jilin 1 02C and 02E were lost in launch failures of Kuaizhou 1A and Kuaizhou 11 rockets respectively last year. The next satellite in the series, Jilin 1 02F, will launch later this year, also on a Kuaizhou 1A.

More Information

Changguang Satellite Technology press release (Chinese)

Xinhua News Agency release (Chinese)

Kuaizhou-1A info page (Gunter’s Space Page)

Launch video