Last week, China sent a new meteorological satellite into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province — this occurred on Thursday, June 5 during the morning hours.
The satellite, Fengyun-4B (FY-4B), was launched by a Long March-3B rocket at 00:17 a.m. (Beijing Time) and was the 372nd flight mission of the Long March rocket series, according to the Chinese launch center.
The first of China’s new-generation meteorological satellites in geostationary orbit, the FY-4B will be used in the fields of weather analysis and forecasting, and environmental and disaster monitoring.
The satellite and rocket were developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation‘s Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, respectively.
The China Meteorological Administration is responsible for the construction and operation of the satellite’s ground application system.