A Long March 4C rocket carrying Gaofen-3 lifts off from China’s Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. (Credit: Xinhua/Zhang Hongwei)

On Aug. 9, 2016, China launched its Gaofen-3 remote-sensing satellite aboard a Long March-4C rocket. Designed by the China Academy of Space Technology, Gaofen-3 features a multi-polarized C-band synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) sensor at meter-level resolution.

The new satellite has a designed lifespan of eight years and will mainly be used by the State Oceanic Administration of China. As China’s first SAR imaging satellite accurate to one meter, Gaofen-3 will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water-resource assessments and the protection of maritime rights.