China has launched the Gaofen-5 Earth observation satellite into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern Shanxi Province.

The hyperspectral imaging satellite was launched on-board a Long March 4C rocket to reach a 98° orbital position.

The launch represents the 274th flight of a Long March rocket and China’s 14th launch this year.

Designed and manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology, the Gaofen-5 satellite has a lifespan of eight years, reported Xinhua.

“Gaofen-5 features six advanced observation payloads, including a shortwave infrared hyperspectral camera and a greenhouse gas detector.”

Various aspects of air pollution will be monitored with the satellite, including the levels of air pollutants, greenhouse gases, and aerosols present in the country’s atmosphere and land.

Gaofen-5 features six advanced observation payloads, including a shortwave infrared hyperspectral camera and a greenhouse gas detector. It includes the highest spectral resolution solution among the Chinese remote sensing satellites.

The satellite will also be able to provide material composition evaluation using spectral imaging technology.

China Ministry of Ecology and Environment official Wang Qiao says that Gaofen-5 can locate inland water, land surface environment and altered minerals to help environmental monitoring, resource exploration, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation programmes.

The satellite will also help China reduce its dependence on foreign hyperspectral satellites.

Gaofen-5 is part of the China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS) programme, which includes a constellation of multi-spectrum imaging and synthetic aperture radar satellites, reported gbtimes.com.

China plans to launch the Gaofen-6 satellite this year.