A Long March 2D rocket lifts off with eight Jilin 1 Earth-imaging satellites. Credit: CASC

China launched eight more microsatellites for the Jilin 1 high-resolution Earth observation constellation May 4, five days after a separate mission deployed five similar Jilin 1 payloads into orbit.

The launches signal an uptick in the pace of satellite deployments for the Jilin 1 constellation, a fleet of small remote sensing satellites developed by partner CGSTL, a commercial remote sensing company based in China’s Jilin province.

The Jilin 1 fleet is aimed at serving commercial users of Earth imaging data, including urban planners and infrastructure developers and the mining, agriculture, forestry, and maritime industries.

Eight satellites for Chang Guang launched May 4 at 10:38 p.m. EDT (0238 GMT on May 5) aboard a Long March 2D rocket, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., or CASC, the largest state-owned enterprises overseeing China’s space industry.