China launches new weather forecasting satellite

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – China on Monday launched Fengyun-3E, a new weather forecasting satellite into space, state-run media said.

The satellite is equipped with 11 remote sensing payloads expected to “improve the accuracy of weather forecasting," according to Xinhua news. It was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gobi Desert, northwest China.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said the meteorological satellite “is designed with a lifespan of eight years and will mainly obtain the atmospheric temperature, humidity, and other meteorological parameters for numerical prediction applications, improving China's weather forecast capacity.”

With the use of this new satellite, the Chinese space authorities will be able to monitor and report the global snow and ice coverage, sea surface temperature, natural disasters, and ecology “to better respond to climate change and prevent and mitigate meteorological disasters.”

“The satellite will monitor solar and space environments and their effects, as well as ionospheric data to meet the needs of space weather forecasts and supporting services,” CNSA added.

Meanwhile, three Chinese astronauts on Sunday completed “all tasks for their first extravehicular activities in space.”

China sent the astronauts into space aboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship on June 17.

Two of the three astronauts had stepped out of the Tianhe core module of China's space station on Sunday, said the China Manned Space Agency.

They installed foot restraints and extravehicular working platforms on the mechanical arm for around seven hours.