China successfully launches new Earth observation satellite

BEIJING: China on Sunday successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite which can take high-resolution pictures of ground objects across the globe.

The satellite was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China's Sichuan province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The satellite, Gaofen-14, was sent into orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket.


Geofen-14 is an optical stereo mapping satellite.

It can efficiently obtain high precision stereo images globally, draw large scale digital topographic map, produce digital elevation models, digital surface models and digital orthophoto images, and provide basic geographic information, the report said.