A Long March 4B (CZ-4B) launch vehicle was launched at 0737 GMT on 27 December from Taiyuan in China. It carried the Gaofen 11-04 high resolution imaging satellite into orbit. The spacecraft is believed to be a military reconnaissance satellite. The spacecraft is supposed to operate from a 495 km circular synchronous low Earth orbit at circa 97.3 degrees inclination. However it was initially placed into a planned 697 x 245 km at 97.3 degree inclination. As is usual for Gaofen 11 satellites, the apogee will be allowed to slowly decay to 495 km, then its perigee will be raised to circularise the orbit apogee into its final 495 km orbit.
