China achieved a significant milestone on Thursday by launching a new ocean-monitoring satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center located in the country’s northwest. This launch represents a major advancement in the nation’s maritime surveillance technology.
The Haiyang-2E (HY-2E) satellite was deployed into space aboard a Long March-4B rocket, which lifted off at 7:46 am. Space authorities confirmed that the satellite separated smoothly from the launch vehicle and entered its designated orbit as planned.
Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, the HY-2E is designed primarily to protect China’s maritime rights and interests. In addition to this core mission, the satellite will play a crucial role in disaster prevention and mitigation, marine resource exploration, and supporting comprehensive marine scientific research.
Notably, the HY-2E is equipped with significantly enhanced payload technology compared to earlier models. This upgrade is expected to greatly improve China’s ability to conduct high-resolution observations, especially in complex coastal and nearshore waters.
In a significant development, the new satellite will replace the aging HY-2B, which has been operational since 2018. Once fully functional, the HY-2E will join the existing HY-2C and HY-2D satellites in orbit, forming a constellation that ensures continuous, stable, and uninterrupted monitoring of China’s marine environment.
The Long March-4B rocket, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, is a versatile three-stage liquid-propellant launch vehicle capable of deploying multiple payloads into various orbits. It can carry up to 2.5 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers. This mission marked the 654th flight of the Long March rocket series, underscoring its long-standing reliability and success.
