China Launches New Mapping Satellite Tianhui-7 from Jiuquan

Successful Launch from Jiuquan

China successfully launched a new mapping satellite, Tianhui-7, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. The launch occurred at 12:12 p.m. Beijing time (0412 GMT), with the satellite successfully entering its designated orbit. This mission represents the 622nd flight of the Long March carrier rocket series, underscoring China's consistent activity in space exploration.

Satellite Capabilities and Purpose

The Tianhui-7 satellite, whose name translates to 'Sky Drawing,' is primarily designed to enhance China's capabilities in geographic mapping, national land resource surveys, aerial surveying, and land resource monitoring. It will also be utilized for various scientific research tasks. The satellite was developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

The Long March-4B Rocket

The Tianhui-7 was carried into space by a Long March-4B (CZ-4B) rocket, a three-stage, liquid-fuel launch vehicle. This rocket, developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), measures approximately 47 meters in length with a diameter of 3.8 meters. It is capable of deploying payloads weighing up to 2.5 tons into orbits around 700 kilometers above the Earth's surface.

Broader Implications for China's Space Program

The launch of Tianhui-7 highlights China's ongoing commitment to advancing its national space program and its growing role in Earth observation technology. The Tianhui series itself is known as a military Chinese series of Earth observation satellites, indicating a dual-use capability for both civilian and military applications. This latest mission further solidifies Beijing's ambitions in space science and exploration, contributing to its comprehensive geospatial infrastructure.