Reported by: Ji Xuan
Translated by: Tian Tian
Edited by: Daniel Penistone
China successfully launched the "Jilin-1-A" optical satellite carried by a Long March-2D carrier rocket, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:13 on Oct 7. Two "Jilin-1" satellites for video imaging and another for imaging technique testing were carried by the same rocket. The "Jilin-1-A" optical satellite was developed and produced by Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Harbin Institute of Technology and Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co., Ltd. HIT Professor Cao Xibin worked as the director of this satellite system.
The "Jilin-1-A" optical satellite was the first commercial, Earth observing and optical imaging satellite researched and developed independently by China. The satellite can provide remote-sensing data for many fields, such as land resource monitoring, topographic mapping, mineral development, smart city construction, transport facilities, crop production, forest resource surveys, ecological scanning, disaster prevention and reduction and emergency public health. The successful launch and on-orbit operation of this satellite marks a major step forward for the commercialized and industrialized development of China’s space remote sensing. It’s meaningful for promoting innovation and reform in the field of spaceflight in China.
The development of the "Jilin-1-A" optical satellite was a successful exploration, with an integration of enterprises, universities and research institutes, collaborative innovation, multi-participation, mutual cooperation, accelerating the industrialization of high-tech achievements in space programs. It’s meaningful for introducing HIT’s micro-satellite technology to the main battlefield of economic construction, improving the capability of independent innovation and intellectual contribution, and social service standards.
