China launched nine satellites aboard a Gravity-1 carrier rocket from waters east of Shanghai on Wednesday, a mission marks the first far-sea launch for the Gravity-1 carrier rocket.
It was also the first far-sea launch mission for a private commercial rocket carried out in the East China Sea waters of the Yangtze River Delta region in China.
The rocket lifted off at 10:54, carrying six Dongpo satellites, along with Xiguang-2 01, Tianyi-49 and Zidingxiang-3.
The Dongpo satellites are designed for all-weather and all-time Earth observation. Xiguang-2 01 and Tianyi-49 are intended to support applications including mineral exploration, agriculture and forestry, environmental monitoring and urban planning, while Zidingxiang-3 will test an ultra-flat satellite design and attitude-control technologies.
The mission was the third flight of the Gravity-1 rocket.
China launches nine satellites in first far-sea Gravity-1 mission
Falling water levels on the Danube River, driven by persistent heat, are disrupting Serbia's grain exports along the key shipping route.
The Vojvodina Province in northern Serbia, a crucial grain-producing area for the country, has been particularly hard hit. As the Danube shrinks, ships are being forced to reduce their loads to stay afloat, driving up transportation costs and squeezing profit margins for farmers and exporters.
"Today, the water level at the monitoring station in Novi Sad stood at minus 44 centimeters. Normally, it should be around 150 centimeters this time of year. So the river is now roughly two meters lower than usual. This has created significant shipping difficulties. Some sections of the river have become nearly impassable, forcing ships to reduce their loads just to get through," said Bozidar Belos, advisor to the director of public water management company Vode Vojvodine.
Serbia's hydrometeorological department has warned that Danube water levels are expected to fall even further in the coming days.
To address the crisis, Serbia is working with neighboring countries on dredging the river and building sluices and dams to ease pressures on both navigation and irrigation.
Danube water levels plunge amid prolonged heatwave, threatening Serbia's grain exports
