Huanjing (satellite)

China plans to launch eleven Huanjing (Chinese: 环境) satellites for disaster and environmental monitoring ("huanjing" is Chinese for "environment"). The satellites will be capable of visible, infrared, multi-spectral and synthetic aperture radar imaging.[1]

The first two satellites, Huanjing-1A and Huanjing-1B, were launched on September 6, 2008 on a CZ-2C (i.e. Chang Zheng-2C / Long March-2C) rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.[2] In a report dated 2008-09-03, the Associated Press of Pakistan indicated the launch would be conducted 2008-09-05 using a Long March 2C carrier rocket.[3] On 2008-09-05, Aviation Week reported the first launch would be of optical imaging satellites.[4]

Huanjing-1C was launched on November 16, 2012 on a CZ-2C (i.e. Chang Zheng-2C / Long March-2C) rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. It is the first civilian Chinese remote sensing satellite to use a Synthetic Aperture Radar as imaging instrument. This S-band SAR was manufactured in Russia by NPO Mashinostroenia.[5]

Launches
Date Launch site Payload Outcome Comments
2008-09-06 Taiyuan Huanjing 1A and 1B Success[6]
2012-11-19 Taiyuan Huanjing 1C Success[7]

References
  1. "Military Power of the People's Republic of China" (PDF). U.S. Department of Defense. 2000. p. 37. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-14.
  2. "First natural disaster monitoring satellites launched by China". NASASpaceFlight.com.
  3. "China to launch natural disaster monitoring satellites". 2008-09-03. Archived from the original on 2011-09-28.
  4. Covault, Craig (2008-09-05). "U.S. and China Resume Space Cooperation Talks". Aviation Week.
  5. Marín, Daniel (2012-11-20). "Lanzamiento Larga Marcha CZ-2C (Huanjing-1C)" (in Spanish). Eureka Blog.
  6. "China launches two natural disaster monitoring satellites". Xinhua. 2008-09-06.
  7. "中国19日成功发射"环境一号"C卫星". 凤凰网. 2012-11-19.


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