(Yicai Global) June 4 -- China's first high-resolution agricultural satellite was successfully launched from Gobi desert in northwest China to help the country become self-supplied in the demand for information about crops condition.

Gaofen-6, which was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, will be able to identify the species and the condition of agricultural products in sharper images in comparison to the previous Gaofen-1, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

Gaofen-6 will network with Gaofen-1 to double the latter's data acquisition capability, and replace the need for such information offered by foreign satellites. The newer satellite has a designed service lifespan of eight years.

Gaofen-6 is able to meet the requirements of timeliness, high accuracy and wide coverage in agricultural monitoring, said Zhou Qingbo, the deputy general designer of the system.

China's agricultural ministry has agreed with other government-run institutions including space agency China National Space Administration and military supplier State Administration for Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense to speed up the construction of agricultural remote-sensing observation system.

Editor: Emmi Laine