Gaofen1

Gaofen-1, also known as GF-1, is the first civilian high-resolution Earth observation satellite in China's Gaofen program. It was launched on 26 April 2013 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 2C rocket and is operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The mission marked the beginning of a broader effort to establish a domestic capability for high-resolution remote sensing and data services within the Chinese Earth observation framework.

GF-1 carries a Panchromatic and Multispectral Imaging system that provides 2-meter resolution in panchromatic mode and 8-meter resolution in multispectral mode, with a swath width of about 60 kilometers. The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude around 650 kilometers, enabling regular repeat coverage for applications such as land-use mapping, agriculture, forestry, urban planning, and disaster monitoring.

Data produced by GF-1 are distributed through the national data center network managed by the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Applications (CRESDA). The mission supports civilian applications, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and infrastructure planning, and serves as a data continuity link within the Gaofen program alongside later satellites such as GF-2 and GF-3, contributing to the CHEOS (China High-resolution Earth Observation System).

GF-1 was developed with contributions from CAST (China Academy of Space Technology) and other Chinese aerospace and research institutions. Its success helped establish the feasibility and scale of the Gaofen program, fostering the growth of China’s domestic remote sensing industry and expanding access to high-resolution imagery for government, commercial, and scientific users.