China Launches PIESAT-2 13–16 Satellites on Long March-2D Rocket

China successfully deployed four new remote-sensing satellites—designated PIESAT-2 13, PIESAT-2 14, PIESAT-2 15, and PIESAT-2 16—on Saturday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, northern China.

The launch occurred at 6:50 p.m. Beijing time, using a Long March-2D carrier rocket. All four satellites reached their intended orbits without incident.

Satellite Capabilities and Developer

All four spacecraft are equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology and were developed by the Chinese company GalaxySpace.

They carry high-precision payloads and feature onboard intelligent processing capabilities for remote-sensing data while operating in orbit. These functions support the advancement of intelligent space infrastructure.

Long March-2D Specifications and Mission Context

This mission marked the 668th flight in the Long March rocket series.

The Long March-2D is a two-stage, liquid-fueled launch vehicle. Its payload capacity to a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit is 1.3 metric tons.