On the day of 17th April 2026 Hours Hong- Kong SAR – Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 1210 afternoon Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , the Chang Zheng -Long March 4C Yao 41 From The Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Inner Mongolia, China, People’s Republic of China.. the Long March 4C carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, successfully sending the high-precision greenhouse gas detection satellite into its predetermined orbit. The launch mission was a complete success.
Both the satellite and rocket were developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The high-precision greenhouse gas detection satellite is an operational satellite in the national long-term development plan for civil space infrastructure. The satellite carries five payloads: an atmospheric lidar, a wide-swath hyperspectral greenhouse gas monitor, an ultraviolet hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, an infrared hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, and a cloud and aerosol imager.
The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit and is equipped with five payloads: an atmospheric sounding lidar, a wide-swath hyperspectral greenhouse gas monitor, an infrared hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, an ultraviolet hyperspectral atmospheric composition detector, and a cloud and aerosol imager.
It will be the first in the world to achieve joint detection of active and passive greenhouse gases, as well as joint detection of ultraviolet and infrared pollutants. Through the active lidar and wide-swath hyperspectral greenhouse gas monitor, it will conduct high-precision, large-scale, and high-resolution three-dimensional monitoring of global greenhouse gases. Employing combined space-ground-edge and ultraviolet-infrared methods, it significantly improves the spatial resolution and vertical detection capability of pollutants.
For this mission, the rocket used the Eighth Academy’s standardized 3800 composite material fairing, marking the first application of this product on a Long March 4 rocket. This fairing boasts advantages such as a large envelope, high wave transparency, and lightweight structure, effectively enhancing the rocket’s carrying capacity and mission adaptability.
I. Launch Status and Basic Information
- Time and location :
The satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:10 Beijing time on April 17, 2026, by a Long March 4C carrier rocket, and successfully entered its predetermined orbit.. - Rocket and satellite developers :
Both the satellite and the rocket were developed by the Eighth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. This mission marks the 638th flight of the Long March series carrier rockets
Rocket technology optimization :
The Long March 4C rocket is the first to use the 3800 composite material fairing designed by the Eighth Academy, which has the advantages of weight reduction, strong wave transmission and improved space adaptability, significantly enhancing its carrying capacity.
II. Innovation in Core Satellite Technologies
The satellite achieved two world-first technological breakthroughs, significantly enhancing global greenhouse gas monitoring capabilities:
- Active-passive combined detection technology :
By combining active lidar with a wide-swath hyperspectral greenhouse gas monitor, high-precision, large-scale three-dimensional monitoring of global greenhouse gases can be carried out, solving the problem of insufficient accuracy of traditional passive detection. - Simultaneous observation technology of nadir and edge :
Simultaneously acquire information on the horizontal distribution and vertical structure of atmospheric components under imaging system, improve the efficiency of three-dimensional detection of pollutants, and significantly enhance spatial resolution and vertical detection capability
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III. Application Value and Network Collaboration
- Multi-domain data support :
The satellite is equipped with 5 payloads (including atmospheric sounding lidar, greenhouse gas monitoring instrument, etc.), which can provide remote sensing data for the batch production of special products in natural resources, agriculture, forestry and grassland, meteorology and other industries, and serve the modern infrastructure system.2
- Dual-satellite collaborative observation network :
After the satellite enters orbit, it will form a network with the “Atmospheric Environment Monitoring Satellite” launched in 2022, forming a morning and afternoon collaborative observation mode in a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, and building the world’s first space-based environmental monitoring platform that integrates active laser, ultraviolet, infrared and other comprehensive means.
IV. Strategic Significance and Social Impact
- Serving the nation’s dual carbon goals :
Through high-precision monitoring of greenhouse gases, polluting gases, and aerosols, we support major national projects such as energy conservation and emission reduction, environmental diplomacy, and pollution prevention and control, and contribute to the implementation of the “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” strategy - Contribution to global ecological governance :
Satellite data will promote global climate change research, provide scientific basis for international climate negotiations, solidify the aerospace technology foundation for ecological civilization construction, and safeguard national ecological security
This launch marks the 117th launch of the Long March 4 series carrier rockets, the 263rd launch of the Long March series rockets developed by the Eighth Academy, and the 638th launch of the Long March series carrier rockets..
Images and visuals are from their Respectives CMS China Manned SpaceCNSA-China National Space Administration