China Launches 2 SuperView Earth-Observation Satellites Into Orbit

[Buster's Uncle]

China Launches 2 SuperView Earth-Observation Satellites Into Orbit
Space.com
By Tariq Malik, Space.com Managing Editor |  January 10, 2018 04:39pm ET



A Long March 2D rocket successfully launched two new Earth-observing satellites into orbit this week for Beijing Space View Technology in China.

The Long March 2D lifted off Monday, Jan. 9, at 10:26 p.m. EST (0326 Jan. 10 GMT) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China's Shanzi province, where the local time was early Tuesday morning. The rocket delivered the two new SuperView-1 Earth-observing satellites, called SuperView-1 03 and 04, into orbit for Beijing Space View Technology.

"Success! We're thrilled to announce the successful launch of SuperView-1 03&04 satellites at 11:26 this morning in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center!" company representatives wrote in a Twitter update.





The two new SuperView-1 satellites join two others in orbit that launched in 2016 . Those earlier satellites launched into a lower-than-planned orbit, but were later manuevered into their proper position, Chinese space officials have said. Eventually, BJSVT plans to oversee a large constellation of SuperView-1 satellites to provide high-resolution images of Earth.

"The SuperView constellation, called "16+4+4+X", is projected to comprise of 16 optical satellites with 0.5m resolution, four higher resolution satellites, four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and a fleet of satellites with video and hyper spectral cameras," the China Great Wall Industry Corporation wrote in a statement wrote in a statement. "The entire constellation will be completed by the end of 2022."


https://www.space.com/39350-china-launches-superview-earth-satellites.html