Mon, August 20, 2012
BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's forecasts of severe weather conditions are set to be improved after the Fengyun-2F was officially transferred to the meteorological authority on Monday.
The nation's fourth geostationary orbit weather satellite, has been operating smoothly during a test period, since it was launched on Jan. 13, 2012, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
A transfer ceremony of the satellite to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) took place on Monday.
With a life span of four years, the Fengyun-2F has higher accuracy and more flexible high-frequency measuring capabilities. The satellite is able to forecast a typhoon's position and intensity ten minutes earlier than current equipment, according to the CMA.
The Fengyun-2F will form a network with Fengyun-2D and Fengyun-2E to improve weather monitoring.
China announced its Fengyun-2 series project in 2001, which included the launch of three geostationary meteorological satellites, namely Fengyun-2C - China's first geostationary orbit weather satellite - Fengyun-2D and Fengyun-2E.
Fengyun-2D is capable of carrying out infrared analysis on the structure of clouds and can also analyze data about visible daytime light. Fengyun-2E is mainly designed for gathering meteorological, marine and ground weather data.
With the Fengyun-2 series and Fengyun-3 series, China is one of three countries and regions that has both GEO and polar-orbiting meteorological satellites.
