Demonstration work in regard to developing China's first generation sun synchronous orbital satellite-Fengyun 3 has been over, initial research on the satellite series will begin soon, said Meng Zhizhong, designer of the satellite on May 15.

The fourth satellite of China's first generation sun synchronous orbital satellite--Fengyun 1-D was successfully launched in Taiyuan Satellite Launching Center on May 15, said Meng in an interview with reporters.

Fengyun 3 is made with advanced 21st century techniques, it is fully in line with China's mature technologies and experience.

Fengyun 3 will be equipped with 10 instruments to make the satellite more effective and powerful, it is capable of distinguishing a highway in spite of orbiting 870 km high above the Earth.

Sun synchronous orbital satellite is also called polar orbit satellite, the Fengyun 1-D is the last one of China's first generation polar orbit satellite. China is making an active study in developing its second-generation polar orbit satellite, that is the Fengyun 3 series, falling into two phases: from 2004 to 2008, China will launch two satellites and from 2008 to 2020, China will launch 5 satellites.

Fengyun 3 series will be a great leap for China in developing polar orbit satellites, it will greatly improve China's capability in observing the Earth and exploring the air.

So far, meteorological satellites are in two types, sun synchronous orbital satellite and earth synchronous orbital satellite, China has 2 satellites respectively for each category, they are Fengyun 1-C and Fengyun 1-D and two Fengyun 2 satellites.

Observers say that China is the third country after the US and Russia that can develop two categories of meteorological satellites.

(People's Daily May 17, 2002)