Doha: China launched an electromagnetic monitoring satellite on Saturday, which is expected to enhance the country’s “space-air-ground” integrated monitoring capabilities for major natural disasters. A Long March-2D carrier rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 3:56 p.m. (Beijing Time), successfully sending the Zhangheng 1-02 satellite into its planned orbit, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

According to Qatar News Agency, named after the ancient Chinese inventor Zhang Heng, who created the world’s first seismoscope over 1,800 years ago, the satellite was jointly developed by China and Italy. It is the first operational satellite dedicated to exploring the Earth’s physical fields under China’s medium and long-term civil space infrastructure development plan, according to the CNSA.

A Long March-2D carrier rocket carrying the Zhangheng 1-02 satellite, an electromagnetic monitoring satellite jointly developed by China and Italy, blasted off
from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on June 14, 2025. With a designed lifespan of six years, the satellite is equipped with nine payloads, including an electric field detector co-developed by China and Italy, as well as a high-energy particle detector developed by Italy.

It will carry out quasi-real-time monitoring of global electromagnetic fields, electromagnetic waves, the ionosphere, and the neutral atmosphere, detecting electromagnetic anomalies caused by geological and human activities, as well as monitoring thunderstorm and lightning activity, said CNSA. Deputy director of the system engineering department of the CNSA, Peng Wei, stated that scientists will use these data to study the correlation between changes in the Earth’s physical fields and geological activities, and to support research on the prediction of earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather, and space weather disasters.

The satellite will significantly enhance China’s early perception, risk assessm
ent, and monitoring and early warning capabilities for major natural disasters, Peng added. Deputy director of engineering and technology of the Italian Space Agency, Francesco Longo, called the mission an important milestone and expressed high expectations for the results to be acquired from this important Chinese-Italian mission.