China successfully launched its second oceanic survey satellite
"Haiyang-1B" (Ocean 1B) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
Wednesday morning.
The domestically built satellite was launched at 11:27 AM and
reached the target orbit aboard a Long March-2C carrier rocket,
China's top ocean research official said.
The "Haiyang-1B," a crucial component of China's
three-dimensional oceanic survey system, will be used to monitor
the color and temperature of the ocean, said Sun Zhihui, director
of the State Oceanic Administration.
According to Sun, the satellite will also aid in China's
development and utilization of oceanic resources, construction of
ports, monitoring and prevention of oceanic pollution, resource
investigation, and the development of coastal areas as well as for
study of global environmental changes.
Sun also revealed China would develop five more oceanic
satellites in the near future.
China plans to have a system consisting of ocean color remote
sensing satellites, ocean dynamic environment satellites, and ocean
surveillance satellites.
The "Haiyang-1B" is an ocean color remote sensing satellite.
China will launch the "Haiyang-2" satellites, or ocean dynamic
environment satellites, in 2009 and is currently analyzing customer
demand for the "Haiyang-3" satellites, or ocean surveillance
satellites, Sun said.
There are more than 30 oceanic satellites currently in orbit
around the planet.
Sun said oceanic satellites are urgently needed in China to
develop the country's marine economy, providing marine disaster
early warning and safeguarding the nation's legitimate marine
rights.
"Although China is one of only five countries in the world able
to independently launch ocean color remote sensing satellites, we
still lag behind developed countries in this field," said Sun.
China launched its first oceanic survey satellite "Haiyang-1A"
in May 2002 to monitor ocean color and temperature using remote
sensing technology.
(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2007)