China Launches New Ocean-Monitoring Satellite

China put the Haiyang-2C satellite, an ocean-monitoring satellite, into orbit by a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Sept 21.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the Haiyang-2C is the second ocean dynamic environment satellite developed under China's civil space infrastructure development plan.

Equipped with a radar altimeter and a microwave scatterometer, the satellite can provide real-time observations of sea surface height, wave height, sea surface wind field.

Other onboard equipment like the automatic identification system (AIS) and data communication system (DCS) for ships enable the satellite to identify vessels and to receive, store and forward buoy measurement data in marine areas.

According to the company, the satellite will work together with the Haiyang-2B satellite, launched two years ago, and the Haiyang-2D satellite, to be launched next year.

By that time, the satellites will form the world's first ocean dynamic observation network, which will provide information support to China's disaster prevention and mitigation, meteorology, traffic and science development network.

The observation network will also contribute to the early warning capacity of the dynamic ocean environment, creating sustainable and predictable benefits.

The three-stage normal temperature liquid fuel Long March 4B rocket was developed by CASC's Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and is capable of launching various kinds of satellites with different orbit requirements.

The launch on Sept 21 was the 67th flight of the Long March 4B and the 347th by the Long March rocket series.

The Long March 4B carrier rocket, carrying the Haiyang-2C satellite is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Sept 21. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

The fairing, with the Haiyang-2C satellite in it, is transported to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)