BEIJING — The China National Space Administration announced on Aug 20 that the Gaofen-7 Earth observation satellite has been put into service, representing significant progress for the country's surveying and mapping capabilities.

Launched on Nov 3, 2019, Gaofen-7 is China's first civil-use optical transmission 3D surveying and mapping satellite that reaches the sub-meter level. It can provide 1:10,000 scale satellite 3D mapping for users in China and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

During in-orbit tests, satellite functions such as the monitoring of geographical conditions, agricultural surveys and road constructions have been verified, said Zhang Kejian, head of the administration.

In May, using data from the Gaofen-7 and Ziyuan III satellites, scientists drew a 1:10,000 scale map for surveyors to measure the height of Mount Qomolangma.

Since the Gaofen project began in 2010, data from the Gaofen series of satellites have been used in more than 20 industries across the country.