Getting ready for blastoff: China is to send six Jilin-1 satellites into orbit. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Six new Jilin-1 satellites are being made ready to be launched soon at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Kelan county, Xinzhou city in North China's Shanxi province – including the Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D34 and Jilin-1 Hongwai A07-08 satellites.

The Jilin-1 MF02A07 satellite was jointly developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co – based in Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province – and the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power.

This is a light and small high-resolution, multi-mode and optical remote sensing "bird" that is designed for smart water conservation. It is the first inland water remote-sensing satellite in China and is also the first optical satellite of the Huashui Constellation – China's another network of satellites in orbit.

The satellite can obtain sub-meter-level high-resolution remote-sensing images and has multi-mode imaging capabilities.

It can provide efficient intelligent sensing means to monitor inland surface water resources. It can be deployed for the refined management of surface water, the monitoring and evaluation of the water ecosystem, water environment protection and for water disaster emergency responses.

The Jilin-1 Hongwai A07-08 satellites are small new observation satellites jointly developed by Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co and Tianjin Yunyao Aerospace Technology Co.

The payload of this series of satellites consists of long-wave infrared cameras, which can perform infrared imaging of the atmosphere, ocean and land. The satellites have the characteristics of short development cycles, high integration,  lightweight and small size.

Chang Guang Satellite Technology, the first commercial remote sensing satellite company in China, was the only group from Northeast China to be selected for the 2020 China Unicorn Enterprises List. Unicorn companies are start-up firms valued at $1 billion or more.

The Jilin-1 satellite is the company's core product. With the launch of the six Jilin-1 satellites, the number of Jilin-1 satellites in orbit will stand at 89.

These satellites typically provide more abundant remote-sensing data and product services in the spheres of agriculture, forestry, the ocean, resources, environmental protection, urban construction and scientific experiments.