Fengyun satellites handed over to meteorological authority

Two Fengyun satellites were officially turned over to China's top meteorological authority on Friday, which will help weather forecasting and the prevention of natural disasters for countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The two meteorological satellites are Fengyun-2H and Fengyun-3D, which were launched on June 5 this year and Nov 15, 2017, respectively.

After on-orbit tests that showed they work well, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp officially handed the two satellites to their user, China Meteorological Administration.

Wei Caiying, chief commander of the ground application system of Fengyun-2H and deputy director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center, said the Fengyun series satellites will be able to cover all the territory of China, as well as countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the Indian Ocean and most African countries.

Fengyun-2H, a geostationary orbit satellite, is the last in the Fengyun-2 series.

The other satellite, Fengyun-3D, is one of China's second generation of Polar-Orbiting Meteorological Satellites, which can provide global three-dimensional all-weather and multi-spectral remote sensing images.

The Fengyun-3D satellite will form a network with the Fengyun 3C satellite, which was launched into space in September 2013. Together they will improve the accuracy of atmospheric sounding and enhance the monitoring of greenhouse gases. The network will help China's disaster relief work.