China launches Yaogan-30 remote sensing satellite

                On 15 May 2016, China launched the Yaogan-30 remote sensing satellite. It was placed in the sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) by using the Long March 2-D rocket. The Satellite was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Canter located in Gobi desert in Northwest China’s Gansu Province.

Key Features:

•          It will be used for scientific experiments, land survey, crop yield assessment and disaster monitoring.
•          It has high resolution optical sensors that have a resolution of between one to three meters.
•          The satellite was placed in the SSP so that it provides favorable illumination for the imaging missions.
•          It has two deployable solar arrays along with batteries. It uses the CAST-2000 platform, which has a dry mass of about one metric ton.
•          The first satellite in the Yaogan series, Yaogan-1, was launched in 2006.