At 11:24 Beijing Time on January 9, 2018, two SuperView-1 satellites were successfully launched from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC) aboard a Long March 2D (LM-2D) launch vehicle. This is the first mission in Year of 2018 for China Space as well as the 261st flight of the Long March Family, which is also the 36th flight of LM–2D launch vehicle.

SuperView-1 satellites, consisted of two 0.5m resolution commercial remote sensing satellites, together with the two satellites, already in service, of the same specifications launched on December 28th, 2016, are the first step of the SuperView constellation. With the advanced AOCS and high integrated electronic system, the satellites feature low weight, high agility, high image quality, and will provide high resolution data services, value-added services and application solutions to land sources survey, mapping, environmental monitoring and surveillance and etc., which gradually realizes commercial operation of the high-resolution remote sensing satellites in China. The SuperView constellation, called "16+4+4+X", is projected to comprise of 16 optical satellites with 0.5m resolution, four higher resolution satellites, four synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and a fleet of satellites with video and hyper spectral cameras. The entire constellation will be completed by the end of 2022.

China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) is the prime contractor of SuperView-1 satellites program and China Siwei Surveying and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd will be the owner and operator of the satellites. SuperView-1 satellites are designed and developed by China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)/DFH Company and LM-2D launch vehicle is developed and manufactured by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST). CGWIC, Siwei, CAST and SAST are all subsidiaries of China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (CASC).

 

Date:2018-01-09