The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Tuesday released the first batch of images captured by a high-resolution multi-mode imaging satellite, marking a significant development in the country's ability to capture high-resolution images from space.

The satellite, which was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province in July, belongs to the Gaofen satellite series, part of the China High-Resolution Earth Observation System.

It can provide high-precision remote-sensing image data for several industries including surveying and mapping, natural resources, emergency management, agriculture, ecological environment, residential construction, and forestry.

In the first batch released, the CNSA showed more than 20 sub-ratio high-resolution images, including landmarks in China's capital Beijing, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, cities in northwest China's Gansu Province, including Lanzhou and Jiayuguan, as well as the Gezhouba Dam on China's Yangtze River.

The images, which are clear and rich with a distinct hierarchy, demonstrated the advanced imaging capabilities of the satellite, and its ability to capture photos at a high geometric resolution.

At a press conference Tuesday, the CNSA signed a cooperation agreement with two companies, the China Four-Dimensional Surveying and Mapping Technology and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation, to administer the multi-mode satellite.

It is the first civil space research project that combines government with private capital, opening up a new path for combining national public welfare with commercial operations.