The Full Picture

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Chinese space-based Earth observation

system – a contribution to GEOSS

China Meteorological Administration

he 21st century is a new age that will see a global boom

in Earth observation science. In recent years, there has

been great progress in space-based Earth observation

systems in China. Chinese satellites, including the FengYun mete-

orological satellite series, Resource satellite series, Ocean

satellite series and Environmental and Disaster Reduction satel-

lite series, have developed and continue to do so. With all these

satellite series in place, a Chinese integrated Earth observation

system, enhancing the scope and levels of Earth observation,

will come into being. Based on this primary established Chinese

Earth observation system, China has taken full advantage of

these satellites in weather, disaster monitoring, and resource

and environment management.

Meteorological satellite

China began to develop its meteorological satellite independently in

the early 1970s. The first polar orbiting experimental meteorologi-

cal satellite (FY-1A) was launched successfully in the late 1980s. So

far, a total of eight meteorological satellites have been successively

launched, including four polar orbiting satellites and four geosta-

tionary satellites. As a result, two major series (the polar-orbiting

and geostationary series) of meteorological satellite systems have

taken shape – a network of two geostationary satellites has been

created to observe, and the orbiting satellites are backed

up operationally. In order to satisfy the increasing

demands of economy and society, China plans to launch

its second-generation polar orbiting meteorological

satellite (FY-3A) in 2008. This will carry 11 payloads,

and will be able to make all-weather global Earth obser-

vations with high spatial resolution.

Since the early 1980s, meteorological satellite data has

been applied gradually to weather forecasting/predic-

tion and ecological environment monitoring, among

other things. With the constant deepening of applica-

tion research on satellite meteorology and continuous

optimization of satellite remote-sensing products, the

polar orbiting and geostationary meteorological satel-

lite data have been applied widely to many fields such

as weather forecasting, climate prediction, natural disas-

ter monitoring, crop production estimation,

environmental monitoring and space weather. Important

remote sensing information arising from meteorologi-

cal satellites has been provided to governments and

relevant departments for their decision-making, thus

playing a vital role in many fields such as disaster

prevention and reduction, and economic development.

Resource satellite

The China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite (CBERS) was

jointly financed by China and Brazil. The CBERS project

was set up in 1986, and the protocol on research and

production of the Earth resource satellite was signed by

both governments in 1988. According to the protocol,

CBERS is based on a Chinese concept, with 70 per cent

of overall funds financed by China and 30 per cent by

Brazil. China is responsible for the satellite system

concept; the development of the thermal control subsys-

tem, attitude and orbit control subsystem; the ultra short

wave tracking, telemetry and command system (TT&C);

onboard data management; onboard overall electro

circuit; charge-coupled device (CCD) camera; infrared

multi-spectrum scanner; CCD data transmission; onboard

digital high-density magnetic recorder; infrared data trans-

mission; the space environment monitoring system and

the integration, electronic test and large-scale test of the

first CBERS. Brazil is responsible for the development of

the structural subsystem, power subsystem, S-band

TT&C, data collection subsystem, and development of

Global multi-orbit mosaic image

This image is made from FY-1C multi-orbit data on 9 August 2000. It shows

how the satellite scans and circles around the Earth. As the influence of the

solar zenith angle is not corrected, the edges where orbits meet are obvious.

Global image mosaic is the basic form for global environment monitoring and

data application

National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration

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