During October

1984

the United States Space Shuttle Challenger carried a large format cartographic camera that took an excellent set of high resolution photographs of limited areas in western China. The results of this experiment （for both worldwide coverage and China coverage） are reviewed. The coverage of western China

the number of photographs taken

and the films used are all reviewed

in detail.The extraordinary high quality of the photographs of China is discussed. Some present and anticipated uses are reviewed. Examples of the photographs from western China are reproduced at various enlargements to illustrate the image characteristics.