China successfully launches new Yaogan 43A remote sensing satellites

China has launched a new group of remote-sensing satellites using a Long March 4B carrier rocket, as confirmed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. The launch took place on Friday afternoon at 3:35 pm from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, located in Sichuan province, southwestern China.

The payload, known as the Yaogan 43A satellites, was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, both subsidiaries of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. These satellites are the latest addition to China's growing fleet of remote-sensing spacecraft, designed to detect and monitor physical features on land or at sea by measuring reflected and emitted radiation.

Data from the Yaogan series, which is the primary set of remote-sensing satellites for China, has been extensively used across government agencies, public services, and commercial enterprises.

The Long March 4B rocket, also developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is capable of carrying multiple satellites with a combined weight of up to 2.5 metric tons into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers.