Beijing: China successfully launched a new marine satellite into orbit on Friday to better monitor its maritime waters and study the impact of climate change. A Long March-2C rocket carrying the HY-1C satellite took off at 11:15 am from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China’s Shanxi Province.
The satellite HY-1C will monitor ocean colour and water temperatures, providing basic data for research on the global oceanic environment, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Its data will also be used in the survey of the resources and environment of China’s offshore waters, islands and coastal zones, marine disaster relief and the sustainable utilisation of ocean resources, said the administration.
With a design life of five years, the satellite was developed by the China Spacesat Co., Ltd. under the China Academy of Space Technology, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. China launched its first marine satellite, HY-1A, in May, 2002, laying the foundation for a ocean monitoring system. (PTI)
