China is scheduled to launch its first maritime satellite on the
first half of next year, according to sources from the opening
ceremony for the National Maritime Satellite Appliance Center.
Listed in China's
Ninth Five-year Plan (1996-2000), the "HY-1" maritime
satellite, with the service life of two years, is China's first
satellite of its kind. In a sun synchronous orbit, 79-kilometer in
height, the HY-1 satellite will explore the water color and
temperature by visible lights and Infra-red methods. The maritime
satellite, which has been written in the White Paper on China's
Space Activities, will establish a long-term stable system of earth
observation satellites together with the weather and resources
satellite series.
By
observing such data as the optics characteristics of seawater,
chlorophyll density, sea surface temperature, suspended sand
content, yellow materials, and maritime contamination, the HY-1
will get lots of useful information data including primary
productivity distribution, the resources and environmental quality
of maritime fish breeding and the distribution law of suspended
sand, thereby providing a scientific basis for resources usage,
environmental protection, and law enforcement management.
To
safeguard China's maritime rights and interests, working along with
airplanes, ships, buoys, and stations, the maritime satellite will
make stereo and dynamic observations of China's sea area, said Wang
Shuguang, Director of the State Oceanographic Administration. And
China will set up a system of maritime satellites, including HY-1
series of water color system, HY-2 series for dynamic marine
environment and HY-3 series for comprehensive environment.
According to an official with the National Maritime Satellite
Appliance Center, China is striving for narrowing the gap between
China and developed countries or even outdoing them on the launch
and control of maritime satellite and relevant technologies by
2015.
As
reported, the HY-1 will be carried by the Fengyun I-II satellite
(Fengyun means wind and cloud in Chinese), with the total
investment for the ground appliance system reaching 87 million
yuan.
( November 21, 2001)