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23 September 2013
Long March-4C carrier rocket carrying a China's Fengyun-3
Photo taken on Sept. 23, 2013 shows a Long March-4C carrier rocket carrying a China's Fengyun-3 satellite taking off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, North China's Shanxi Province. The new satellite, the third of China's Fengyun-3 (FY-3) series, will form a network with the first two FY-3 satellites to improve China's meteorological observation and medium-range weather forecast capabilities. (Image credit: Xinhua/Yan Yan).
China successfully launched a meteorological satellite into orbit at 11:07 am Monday, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center said. The third Fengyun-III satellite, carried by a Long March-4C carrier rocket, will join the previous two which are in orbit to boost China's weather monitoring capabilities.
Fengyun-III satellite. Image credit: CASC
The three Fengyun-III weather satellites, the country's second generation polar orbiting meteorological satellites, are useful in monitoring natural disasters and the eco-environment. They also provide meteorological information for global climate change studies as well as aviation and navigation.
The network of satellites will also shorten the updating hours of medium-range weather forecasting from 12 to six. The first and second Fengyun-III were launched in May 2008 and November 2010 respectively. This marks the 181st launch carried by a Long March rocket, according to the center.
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Images (mentioned), Text, Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
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