Venezuela’s first Earth-observation spacecraft is also China’s first export of a high-resolution optical-imaging spacecraft. The 880-kg (1,940-lb.) Venezuelan Remote-Sensing Satellite 1 (VRSS-1) was launched Sept. 29, 2012, on a Chinese Long March 2D rocket (see photo) and now provides land and vegetation observations aimed at assessing Venezuela’s soil and water resources, collecting images for urban planning, monitoring illegal mining and drug activities, and supporting national defense. Read More
