Riding to orbit together on this mission are the Gaofen Multimode & Xibaipo satellites.

Gaofen Multimode is part of a series of Gaofen Earth observation satellites built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and operated by the China National Space Administration.

They provide high resolution images of Earth’s surface to aid with disaster prevention, relief, and rescue efforts; climate change study; geography changes from natural and human-caused events; environmental resource surveying; and agriculture.

The satellite is expected to last for at least eight years and will be able to point itself to within 10 meter accuracy of any target on Earth.

Xibaipo is an amateur ham radio satellite that will be used to allow ham radio operators to communicate up with a satellite in orbit.

Image: A Gaofen satellite representation.

The Chang Zheng 4B (Long March 4B) is a medium-lift rocket within China's launch vehicle family.

Flying for the first time on May 10th, 1999, it has two locations from which it can launch, the Taiyuan and Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centers.

At Taiyuan, the rocket as two launch pads, LA-7 and LA-9. At Jiuquan, it has a single launch pad: SLS-2 (South Launch Site 2).

It is manufactured by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.

Image credit: Xinhua

LC-9

One of three launch sites at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, LA-9 (Launch Area 9) hosts the Chang Zheng 2C, 4B, and 4C rocket variants.

The pad was used for the first time in October 2008.

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center

The Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center is located in Kelan County, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China.

It became fully operational in 1968 and is used primarily to launch weather, Earth observation, and science missions to Sun-Synchronous orbits.

The launch site has also hosted Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile tests.

Taiyuan has three launch pads, LA-7, LA-9, and LA-16, and currently hosts the launches of the Chang Zheng 1D, 2C, 4A, 4B, 4C, and 6 rockets.