Remote sensing satellite launched for Venezuela

China launched Venezuela's second satellite on Saturday, delivering the spacecraft into a 400-mile-high orbit to monitor the country's territory, survey crops and natural resources, and aid Venezuela's security services. The satellite lifted off from the Jiuquan space center in northwest China at 0412 GMT (12:12 a.m. EDT) atop a Long March 2D rocket. The two-stage launcher deployed the Venezuelan Remote Sensing Satellite, or VRSS 1, into orbit less than 13 minutes later. More

(Source: Spaceflight Now - Sep 29)