China Adds Shijian 26 Satellite to Its Growing Remote-Sensing Fleet

China launched its 33rd rocket mission of the year on Thursday, successfully placing a new remote-sensing satellite into orbit, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. announced. A Long March 4B carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:12 pm, carrying the Shijian 26 satellite to its preset sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

Jointly developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology, Aerospace Dongfanghong, and the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijian 26 will support land surveys, environmental protection, and information services that aid economic development, the company said.

This satellite adds to China's expanding fleet of remote-sensing satellites, which collect data on land and sea surfaces by detecting reflected and emitted radiation. The information they gather supports government operations, public services, and business activities.

The Long March 4B, built by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is designed to deliver multiple satellites with a combined weight of 2.5 metric tons into orbit. Thursday's mission marked the 579th flight of the Long March rocket family, China's primary launch vehicle series.

lif