Satellite Monitor at Beijing Olympics

China is to take its Olympic preparations into space next year by launching a satellite to monitor the construction of venues and the Beijing traffic which is the greatest threat to the success of the 2008 Games.

Authorities say they want to monitor the progress of their multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment with the latest hi-tech equipment.

The satellite, which will be launched next May, will orbit the earth at a distance of about 375 miles providing information for urban planning, environmental impact assessments, traffic control and disaster planning. It is part of the government's attempt to to use the Olympics to demonstrate the country's advanced technology.

The government will invest 190m yuan (£14m) in the project according to the official news agency, Xinhua. The satellite will be operational for a year after the Olympics.

Beijing hopes the games will mark the emergence of China as a global power. Work is under way at a number of sites in the north of Beijing on a national stadium, 11 gymnasiums and four other major facilities. The organisers' biggest fear is the traffic which is clogging up roads faster than new ones can be built. In the past five years the number of cars on Beijing's roads has doubled to 2m.