Posted: Tue, Aug 24, 2010, 8:20 AM ET (1220 GMT)
A Long March rocket placed a mapping satellite into orbit on Tuesday, Chinese media reported. The Long March 2D rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China at 3:10 am EDT (0710 GMT, 3:10 pm Beijing time) Tuesday and placed the Tian Hui-1 (Mapping Satellite 1) into orbit. The satellite, equipped with a stereoscopic camera with a resolution of 5 meters, will carry out mapping and land survey work, as well as other unspecified scientific instruments. The launch is the second in two weeks; China launched the Yaogan 10, believed to be equipped with a synthetic aperture radar, on August 10.

Related Links:

•  NASASpaceFlight.com article
•  Xinhua article