
China launched two rockets with 23 satellite aboard on Sunday, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
A Long March 4C launched the L-SAR 01B Earth observation satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The synthetic aperture radar satellite will provide data for land resources use, mapping, forestry, and disaster prevention and relief efforts.
L-SAR 01B joins its twin satellite, L-SAR 01A, which was launched on Jan. 26, Xinhua reported. The spacecraft were built by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
A Long March 8 rocket set a new domestic record for the number of spacecraft launched when it orbited 22 satellites from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan Province, Xinhiua reported.
The spacecraft will be used for commercial remote sensing, marine environment monitoring, forest fire protection and disaster mitigation. The satellites were placed in sun synchronous orbit.
It was the second launch of the Long March 8 rocket. The booster placed five satellites into orbit during its maiden flight on Dec. 22, 2020.