China Releases Two Environmental Satellites into Space

China launched two environmental monitoring satellites from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province Today .

A long March-4B rocket carrying the HJ-2A and HJ-2B satellites took off at 11:23 a.m. (Beijing Time), according to the launch center.

The satellites can provide 16-meter multispectral, 48-meter hyperspectral and infrared image data. In addition, services concerning environmental protection, natural resources, water conservancy, agriculture and forestry, according to the satellite developer China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).

Noteworthy, the HJ-1A and HJ-1B were launched in 2008 and provided remote sensing data for disaster relief during the 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, the 2010 earthquake in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province and the 2010 mudslide in Zhouqu County, Gansu Province, according to News reports.

Later, China launched Haiyang-2 program which represents the second generation of ocean observation and monitorization satellites, with the program being approved by the China National Space Administration in February 2007, for measurement of ocean dynamic and environmental parameters in the microwave region permitting all-weather observations.

According to NASA, the design and development of the HY-2 series began in April 2007, with the program funded by the Chinese State Oceanic Administration. The satellites are operated by the National Satellite Ocean Application Service.