The SAR satellite can capture images that are accurate down to one meter (about three feet) in distance and will operate as an all-weather 24-hour observation platform, according to Xinhua.
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Launched on Wednesday morning, the Gaofen 3 high-resolution Earth observation satellite will help the nation beef up its capabilities to safeguard its maritime interests and to help forecast and warn of natural disasters, space program officials said.
On Wednesday, it added to this portfolio by launching the Gaofen-3, a high-specification radar satellite.
The satellite, which was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province, also has the ability to photograph detailed scenarios of its specific areas.
Gaofen 3 has a designed service life of eight years, said Liu Jie, Gaofen 3’s chief designer at the China Academy of Space Technology.
Tracking data published by the US military’s Joint Space Operations Center indicated the Long March 4C rocket placed the Gaofen 3 satellite into orbit at an altitude of almost 460 miles (740 kilometers). He continued, “The rocket works well”.
The first Gaofen satellite series – Gaofen-1 was launched in April 2013. “They have been tested in the flight and all have met our expectations”.
With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 is the strongest performer in the SAR imaging satellite family.
Gaofen 3 is part of the China High-resolution Earth Observation System, or CHEOS, a network of satellites supplying near-realtime data to Chinese government agencies such as the State Oceanic Administration, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Water Resources, the China Meteorological Administration, and other sectors, according to a statement issued by SASTIND.
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The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time. Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clear view of the planet, the report said. Gaofen-4, launched late in 2015, was the first geosynchronous satellite launched by the Asian powerhouse.
