• GO

Print

China launched two environmental monitoring satellites on 20 September. The satellites were launched on a single Long March 2C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi Province.

News of the launch was carried by the English-language Xinhua News Agency. Xinhua qutoed Bai Zhaoguang, the designer of the satellites, as saying they would enhance the country's capacity to forecast natural disasters.

They are expected to have a lifespan of more than three years. They have state-of-the-art imaging systems and infrared cameras. They will be capable of revisits every two days.

'The satellites can closely track natural disasters and provide quick assessments of damage to guide rescue and reconstruction work,’ said Bai. 'Their role will be significant when China faces such natural disasters as this year's snowstorms and massive earthquake.'

China has endured several natural disasters this year, which has focused the minds of the leadership on systems to both forecast them, and provide speedy relief.

On 12 May, an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter Scale struck southwest Sichuan Province. It is feared more than 87,000 died in the disaster.

In the winter, prolonged snowstorms affected large areas of southern and central China and stranded millions of people.

There have also been floods.

Xinhua did not name the satellites.

ASM Newsletter is distributed by e-mail every two weeks. It reports on events in the spatial industry in Asia and events outside the region which will impact on Asia.