Article Posted on : - May 06, 2014

The FY-3 satellite. Photo: CMA/NSMC

BEIJING (PTI): China's Fengyun-III, a polar orbiting meteorological satellite which provides a three-dimensional view of the earth, was put into operation on Monday.

The third Fengyun-III satellite, together with the second Fengyun-III, will form a monitoring network capable of constant three-dimensional, multiple-spectrum and remote-sensing observation of the earth, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.

The network of satellites will provide more and better monitoring data for global environmental surveillance, disaster reduction and the fight against climate change, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting a CMA press release.

It is expected to raise China's precision in weather forecasting by around 3 per cent.

Its launch and start of operations signalled the transition of China's second generation of polar orbiting meteorological satellites from the laboratory to application stages, it said.

The first and second Fengyun-III were launched in May 2008 and November 2010, respectively.

The network of Fengyun-III satellites now boasts over 20,000 subscribers at home and abroad, it said.