The world‘s first civil twilight orbital meteorological satellite was successfully launched
What is the significance of this “dawn star”
On July 5, the Fengyun-3 E star, known as the “Dawn Star” on its new journey, was successfully launched.
This is the first twilight orbit weather satellite in my country’s Fengyun satellite family and the first civil twilight orbit weather satellite in the world‘s meteorological satellite family, filling the technical gap of international twilight orbit weather satellites.
The World Meteorological Organization proposed the concept of establishing a network of three satellites in the morning, afternoon, and twilight orbits in the “Global Observing System Outlook in 2025”. Today, my country has become the only country in the world that has a three-orbit network meteorological satellite in the morning, afternoon, and twilight orbits.
“Fengyun-3 E will fill the gap of satellite observation data in the 6-hour assimilation window of global numerical weather forecasting. Through the three-star network of Morning Star, Afternoon Star, and Dawn Star, my country will achieve 100% coverage of global observation data.” Said Li Haisheng, commander-in-chief of the E star.
Li Haisheng said that the successful launch and in-orbit operation of the Fengyun-3 E satellite will improve China’s existing meteorological service observation system, and at the same time enable China to form an equivalent complementarity with European and American satellites in business.
He told reporters that relying on the unique global observation data of the Fengyun-3E satellite, my country can carry out multi-directional bilateral and multilateral technical cooperation and exchanges with other meteorological developed countries in the world, and further enhance the right to speak and influence in international meteorological affairs.
Previously, the European and American business polar-orbiting meteorological satellites consisted of the European Metop morning orbit satellites and the US S-NPP and JPSS afternoon orbit satellites, and adopted the cooperative networking observation mode of bilateral global data service exchange and sharing. my country’s Fengyun-3 satellites A and C have orbits close to the European Metop satellites, and the Fengyun-3 B and D satellites have orbits close to the US S-NPP and JPSS satellites.
Yang Jun, chief designer of the Fengyun Meteorological Satellite Project of the China Meteorological Administration, said that, similar to Europe and the United States, my country’s previous satellite observation time was concentrated around 10 am and 2 pm. Every 6-hour observation and assimilation time window, there are always 2- Satellite observations in three orbits are in a blank area and cannot provide initial observations of global coverage.
“It’s like there used to be only morning and afternoon buses, but no early buses. In layman’s terms, the FY-3 E star launched today is the early bus.” Yang Jun said.
He told reporters that the addition of the twilight orbit satellite will fill the above-mentioned gap: it runs along the twilight line of the observation place, and the observation time is always in the early morning and evening. With only domestic satellites, it is expected to extend the forecast time by about 12 hour.
Specifically, Fengyun satellites can observe nearly 45% of the world in 6 hours, double satellites can observe about 85% of the world in 6 hours, and Samsung can observe all regions of the world in 6 hours.
Yang Jun said that this will make a huge contribution to forecasts in the northern and southern hemispheres and regional forecasts at the intercontinental scale. The accuracy of forecasts in the northern and southern hemispheres can be increased by 2%-3%, and the accuracy of regional forecasts at the intercontinental scale can be increased by 2%-10%.
The reporter learned from the China Meteorological Administration that the World Meteorological Organization sent a letter to the bureau stating that the launch of the Fengyun-3 E satellite will fill the gap in the global space-based meteorological observation system, and the bureau will become the third largest in the global polar-orbiting satellite observation sequence. pillar.
The FY-3E star is known as the “dawn star” that has started a new journey. Yang Jun said that this represents China’s meteorological satellite technology has reached a new level.
Wang Jinhua, chief designer of the Fengyun-3 E star, said that the star will enhance my country’s capabilities in applications such as weather forecasting and forecasting, response to climate change, environmental and ecological monitoring, and space weather warning.
He told reporters that compared with the morning satellite and the afternoon satellite, the sun altitude angle is lower during the observation of the twilight orbit satellite, and the geometric features of the terrain and cloud top height are more obvious. Taking advantage of this advantage, the FY-3E can be used in morning fog and typhoon. , Develop unique applications in the monitoring and analysis of strong convection.
For example, Wang Jinhua said that the medium-resolution spectroscopic imager mounted on the Fengyun-3E satellite has newly added a large-width and high-sensitivity low-light imaging channel with a dynamic range of 7 orders of magnitude. It is the most advanced quantitative global low-light detection instrument in my country. After in-orbit application, high-precision quantitative inversion of atmospheric, land, and ocean parameters can be achieved, and the monitoring accuracy can be greatly improved.
Zhang Peng, deputy director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center and commander-in-chief of the Fengyun-3 ground application system, said that the Fengyun-3 E satellite is equipped with 11 (sets) of advanced remote sensing instruments in three aspects: observation channels, detection accuracy, and spectral coverage continuity. Breakthroughs have been made in core capabilities, and the Fengyun series satellites have achieved the first active microwave remote sensing detection, which can enrich marine observation data that is scarce in conventional meteorological observations and improve the forecasting capabilities of maritime meteorological disasters such as typhoons.
He told reporters that this satellite has also greatly improved the ability to observe all elements. It can observe various elements of the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, as well as the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, changes in land surface vegetation, sea surface wind speed, and lithosphere. The snow cover in China and the changes in polar ice are all factors that reflect climate change.
“These abundant observational data will provide a scientific basis for China’s response to climate change.” Yang Jun said.
According to news from the China Meteorological Administration, in the future, three more stars in batch 03 of Fengyun-3 meteorological satellites will be launched one after another, including a first precipitation star.
China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Qiu Chenhui Source: China Youth Daily
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