It is reported that on October 11, a formally “civilian” Chinese optical reconnaissance satellite Gaofen-13 (GF-13) was successfully launched into low-earth orbit by a CZ-3B launch vehicle from the Chinese Xichang cosmodrome.
The characteristics of the satellite are kept secret, but, according to fragmentary data (including a picture from the screen of the Chinese MCC – photo), it is a massive telescope with an optical system with a diameter of more than 1.5 m, similar to the well-known American KN satellites.