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Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
03:10:00
Saturday November 6, 2004
ZY-2 (Ziyuan-2, 'Resource-2'), while reported as a civilian Earth observation system, was actually code-named JB-3 (Jianbing-3) and was China's first high-resolution military imaging satellite. They are reportedly used for area surveillance. In October 2000 Chinese officials denied that the ZY-2 satellite had a military mission. It was reported to be a remote-sensing satellite equipped with CCD cameras and an infrared multispectral scanner that could only identify objects on the ground with a resolution of several dozen meters to 1 km. The new satellite employed digital-imaging technology and has a resolution of 2 m or less. The satellite was designed and built by the Chinese Academy of Space Technology and was developed indigenously. It was said to be more advanced than earlier sensing satellites and was expected to have an orbital life of two years.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
1 Payload
Agency
CASCPrice
$64.68 million
Rocket
Height: 46.97m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 4,200 kg
GTO: 1,500 kg
Liftoff Thrust
2,993 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 3.8m
Height: 11.74m
Stages
3
8th
Mission
2nd
Mission of 2004
45th
Orbital launch attempt