China sent the second Earth resources satellite developed
jointly by China and Brazil and another China-made small satellite
into different preset orbits on Tuesday.
The satellites were raised by a Long March IV B carrier rocket
which blast off at 11:16 am (Beijing Time) at the Taiyuan Satellite
Launch Center in Shanxi Province, north China.
According to data from the Xi'an Satellite Monitoring and
Control Center, the Earth resources satellite entered the
sun-synchronous orbit 13 minutes after the rocket lifted off.
The rocket went on flying for about 40 seconds and hurled a
Chinese satellite into a fixed orbit smoothly. The satellite, known
as Chuangxin I or Innovation I, was developed by the Chinese
Academy of Sciences (CAS). It is the country's first satellite
weighing less than 100 kg.
The second Resources No.1 satellite was designed to monitor
Earth's land resources change, survey arable lands and grasslands,
monitor natural and human disasters, offer information on aquatic
farming and environmental pollution, and explore mineral
resources.
The resources satellite, 1,550 kg in weight with a designed
service life of two years, was developed by China Academy of Space
Technology in cooperation with Brazilian National Institute for
Space Research.
The satellite is more reliable than the first one which was
developed by the two countries and launched on Oct. 14, 1999 at the
same launch center. The previous one has outlived its planned
two-year service term and is still operational in orbit.
The Xi'an Satellite Monitoring Center will monitor and test the
new resources satellite in orbit for some time before its actual
utilization right is delivered to its clients.
Leaders of China and Brazil have congratulated on the successful
launch, saying the achievement will enrich the two countries'
strategic partnership and promote mutually beneficial and friendly
cooperation, according to sources with China's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
It was the 30th consecutive success of China's launching Long
March rocket series since October 1996.
(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2003)