CLASSIFIED

GAOFEN-12 05

SAR Earth observation (dual-use) · China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Gaofen-12 05 is the fifth satellite in a series of high-resolution Chinese Earth-imaging spacecraft, launched October 15, 2024 aboard a Long March 4C rocket into sun-synchronous orbit. The Gaofen ('High Resolution') program is China's flagship civil-military Earth observation initiative, and the 12-series specifically is understood to carry high-resolution synthetic aperture radar rather than optical cameras, giving it the ability to image ground targets through cloud cover and at night. Like most Gaofen satellites, its exact resolution and sensor specifications are not published by Chinese authorities, though the broader Gaofen program supports both civilian applications — disaster response, land surveying, agricultural monitoring — and reconnaissance uses for China's military, a dual-use ambiguity that's standard across the series rather than unique to this particular satellite.