China successfully launched a Long March 2D rocket on Sunday morning, putting a new remote sensing satellite into orbit, Asian media reported.
According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the rocket launched at 7:45 a.m. from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province. It successfully delivered the Yaogan 42B satellite to its designated orbit.
Yaogan 42B is the latest addition to China’s growing fleet of remote sensing satellites. Spacecraft play a crucial role in Earth observation, using reflected and emitted radiation to detect and monitor the physical characteristics of objects on land and sea.
The Long March 2D liquid-fueled rocket, which has a launch thrust of 300 tonnes, is capable of launching the 1.3 tonne spacecraft into sun-synchronous orbits with an altitude of about 700 kilometres.
The Yaogan 42B satellite, Long March 2D rocket was designed and manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of CASC.
The mission marks the 17th launch of a Chinese rocket in 2024 and the 517th flight of the Long March family of launch vehicles, a national fleet of launch vehicles.
