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China launches 1st mobile telecom satellite
Xinhua, August 6, 2016

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The Tiantong-01 satellite was launched at 00:22 am Beijing Time, at southwestern China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center, with the Long March-3B carrier rocket. [Photo/Xinhua]


China on early Saturday successfully launched the first satellite for mobile telecommunication.

The Tiantong-01 satellite was launched at 00:22 a.m. Beijing Time, at southwestern China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center, with the Long March-3B carrier rocket.

It is the first satellite of China's home-made satellite mobile telecom system, and a key part of the country's space information infrastructure.

More geostationary satellites will be sent into orbit for the system.

Tiantong-01 was designed by China Academy of Space Technology and its ground service will be operated by China Telecom. It will establish a mobile network with ground facilities, providing services for China, the Middle East, Africa and other areas.

The Long March-3B carrier rocket was produced by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. It was the 232nd flight of the Long March series carrier rockets, and the 36th launch of the Long March-3B.
 
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China launches hi-res SAR imaging satellite

Xinhua | 2016-08-10 07:59:21 | Editor: huaxia

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A Long March 4C rocket carrying a new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite blasts off at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Aug. 10, 2016. As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments and protection of maritime rights. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongwei)


TAIYUAN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China launched a new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province on Wednesday.

The Gaofen-3 satellite was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 6:55 a.m. Beijing time, according to the center. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket.

As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

With 12 imaging modes, the high-definition observation satellite is capable of taking wide pictures of earth and photographing detailed scenarios of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite that has a lifespan of eight years. It is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data for its users over long periods of time.

Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clear view of the planet.

Launched in April 2013, Gaofen-1 can cover the globe in just four days.

Gaofen-2, sent into space in August 2014, is accurate to 0.8 meters in full color and can collect multispectral images of objects 3.2 meters or longer in length.

Gaofen-4, launched in late 2015, is China's first geosynchronous orbit high-definition optical imaging satellite and the world's most sophisticated.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/10/c_135581169.htm
 
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Great achievement!

An article from PLA Daily mentions the following: Gaofen-3 could take pictures continually for about 60 minutes, which meets the needs of some sea-picture users.

I'm very curious to know, what kind of sea-picture users need to have a non-stop update for images of a particular sea area?
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China launches hi-res SAR imaging satellite

TAIYUAN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China launched a new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province on Wednesday.

The Gaofen-3 satellite was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 6:55 a.m. Beijing time, according to the center. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket.

As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

With 12 imaging modes, the high-definition observation satellite is capable of taking wide pictures of earth and photographing detailed scenarios of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite that has a lifespan of eight years. It is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data for its users over long periods of time.

Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clear view of the planet.

Launched in April 2013, Gaofen-1 can cover the globe in just four days.

Gaofen-2, sent into space in August 2014, is accurate to 0.8 meters in full color and can collect multispectral images of objects 3.2 meters or longer in length.

Gaofen-4, launched in late 2015, is China's first geosynchronous orbit high-definition optical imaging satellite and the world's most sophisticated.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-08/10/c_135581169.htm
 
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China launches hi-res SAR imaging satellite


The Gaofen-3 satellite was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 6:55 am Beijing time, according to the center. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket.

As China's first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will better perform disaster monitoring as the SAR imaging satellite is capable of imaging in severe weather conditions as it uses microwave transmission.

"The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites," said Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen satellite application system.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 has the most imaging modes in the SAR imaging satellite family. The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both earth and sea, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

According to Yu Weidong, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen-3 satellite system payload, Gaofen-3's spatial resolution ranges from one meter to 500 meters and its largest viewing swath is 650 kilometers.

With a one-meter resolution, Gaofen-3 has the highest resolution among its kind, which enables the satellite to provide clear images of all roads, buildings and boats.

Gaofen-3 is also China's first low orbit remote sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than other China-built satellites, which have a lifespan of three to five years, and that of foreign models between six to seven-and-a-half years.

The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time. It can capture continuous imaging for nearly one hour during ocean observation.

Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clearer view of the planet.

Launched in April 2013, Gaofen-1 can cover the globe in just four days.

Gaofen-2, sent into space in August 2014, is accurate to 0.8 meters in full color and can collect multispectral images of objects 3.2 meters or longer in length.

Gaofen-4, launched in late 2015, is China's first geosynchronous orbit high-definition optical imaging satellite and the world's most sophisticated.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under the guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
 
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New satellite keeps eye on sea interests

High-tech radar will also improve nation's ability to forecast, warn of natural disasters, experts say

China is putting its nearby waters under more effective surveillance with its newly operational high-tech satellite.

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.

The satellite was delivered by a Long March 4C rocket that blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi province.

It is equipped with a radar system that captures images from space with a resolution down to 1 meter, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, which oversees China's space programs.

The Gaofen 3, which was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology in Beijing, is capable of generating radar images in all weather conditions and can work around the clock.

The satellite will play an important role in monitoring the marine environment, islands and reefs, and ships and oil rigs, said Xu Fuxiang, head of the Gaofen 3 project at the academy.

He said that considering China has a total of 32,000 km of coastline, 380,000 square kilometers of territorial seas and more than 6,500 islands that have an area of at least 500 square meters, satellites like the Gaofen 3 will be very useful in safeguarding the country's maritime rights and interests.

The Gaofen 3 will also help in disaster forecasting, assessment and relief, which now heavily rely on imported satellite data, Xu added.

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. He added that the satellite is the best of its kind in the world in terms of technological level and imaging mode.

With 12 imaging modes, the satellite is able to take wide pictures of Earth and to photograph specific areas in detail, Liu said.

China launched the Gaofen project in May 2010 and has listed it as one of 16 key national science and technology projects. The aim of the Gaofen project is to form a space-based, high-resolution Earth observation network.

Gaofen 1 was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in April 2013. Four other Gaofen satellites were launched in 2014 and last year.

The Gaofen 5, 6 and 7 will be optical remote sensing satellites and are under development, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

Currently, 26 provincial-level regions have set up Gaofen data application centers to receive and distribute images and data generated by Gaofen satellites, the administration said.
 
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Gaofen-3 satellite offers new world view
Source: Xinhua | August 11, 2016, Thursday


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A Long March 4C rocket carrying a new high-resolution SAR imaging satellite blasts off yesterday at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province. — Xinhua

CHINA launched a new high-resolution synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province yesterday.

The Gaofen-3 satellite was launched from the back of a Long March 4C rocket at 6:55am, according to the center. It was the 233rd flight mission completed by a Long March carrier rocket.

China’s first SAR imaging satellite provides a global all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will perform better at disaster monitoring because it is capable of operating in severe weather conditions due to its use of microwave transmission.

“The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites,” said Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of the Gaofen satellite application system.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 is the strongest performer in the SAR imaging satellite family.

The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both land and water bodies, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

According to Yu Weidong, deputy chief engineer of the Gaofen-3 satellite system payload, its spatial resolution ranges from 1 meter to 500 meters and its broadest viewing spectrum is about 650 kilometers. With a 1-meter resolution, Gaofen-3 can provide clear images of all roads, buildings and boats.

Gaofen-3 is also China’s first low-orbit remote-sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than the other satellites built in China, which run for just three to five years, and that of foreign-made models that last six to seven-and-a-half years.

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.

Launched in April 2013, Gaofen-1 can cover the globe in just four days.

The Gaofen-3 and the Long March 4C rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, under the guidance of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
 
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You expect too much on GF3

According to Yu Weidong, deputy chief engineer of the Gaofen-3 satellite system payload, its spatial resolution ranges from 1 meter to 500 meters and its broadest viewing spectrum is about 650 kilometers. With a 1-meter resolution, Gaofen-3 can provide clear images of all roads, buildings and boats.

According to the project information, GF-2 has a spatial resolution of 0.8 m and a multispectral resolution of 3.2 m.
It seems that GF-3 isn't better than GF-2
 
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Xu Wen , director of the China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and Application, said the high-resolution photos meant tracking stations would have to cope with a large amount of receiving data, according to an interview posted on the website of State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence on Monday.

Unlike that of the United States, which has built a large number of ground stations worldwide, the programme can only download data when the satellite passes over the country.

Gaofen 2 is also China's first "smart satellite", meaning it is able to stop shooting when flying above cloudy areas, thus collecting only the highest quality images, Xu said.

A satellite expert at the Chinese Academy of Sciences said the earth observation satellite programme had developed slowly, with lower resolutions than the best satellites overseas.

Gaofen 2's camera has a resolution of 80cm - meaning it can see objects that are just 80cm. By comparison, WorldView-3, a commercial satellite launched last month in the US, had a resolution of 31cm.

"The hi-tech embargo imposed by the US and other developed countries has forced Chinese researchers to develop much of this technology from scratch, and it's been a long and painful process," said the expert, declining to be named.

But Beijing places more stringent limits on the commercial use of satellite images than the US, due to national security concerns. While Google Maps can provide a 50cm resolution, Chinese digital map service providers such as Baidu and Sohu are restricted to 20 metres.
 
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