China launches HY-1D satellite to monitor maritime environment

Global Times

By Deng Xiaoci Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2020/6/11 2:57:12

China successfully sent a newly developed maritime environment monitoring satellite into orbit at 2:31am on Thursday.

The satellite, codenamed HY-1D, was developed by the state-owned space giant China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), and will form a network with the HY-1C.

The network will be mainly used to obtain dynamic ocean environment data, such as sea surface temperatures, and monitor environmental changes in China's coastal waters and coastal zones in key global regions as well as marine vessel information, Global Times has learned from the space authority.

It will also provide services including oceanic environment monitoring and forecasts, maritime disaster early warning, maritime right protection and law enforcement, and scientific research.

The satellite was launched by the Long March-2C carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi Province.

The launch mission also marked the 334th flight of the Long March rocket family.