A Long March 4B (CZ-4B) rocket was launched from China Taiyuan launch site at 0622 GMT on 26 June 2015. Aboard was a high resolution imaging spacecraft called Gaofen-8 which was being launched into a near polar Sun-synchronous orbit as part of the CHEOS (China High Resolution Earth Observation System). Previously two Gaofen (Gaofen-1 and -2) satellites have been launched which made the numbering of the latest launch disconcerting for Western analysts.