A three-dimensional aeromarine monitoring system, as following a state plan, is to be built during the period of the 11th Five-year Plan (2006-10), sources with the State Marine Administration (SMA) said.

HY-1 is a satellite with a service life of two years as a complementary part for China to build a complete set of satellites for aeromarine monitoring on seawater color.

An official with the State Marine Administration said, on the condition of anonymity, that China will build a sound marine monitoring system by 2010, including seawater color satellite series HY-1.

According to the plan, marine power satellite series HY-2 will be launched during the 10th Five-year Plan period (2001-2005) and marine environment satellite series HY-3 during the next five years.

HY-2 satellite series with microwave remote sensor on will be used mainly for gathering data on marine wind setup, marine surface height and the temperature of seawater along with precision aeromarine forecasts for prevention and relief of disaster.

The HY-3 satellite series are meant to offer all-time, all-weather aeromarine data, including marine surface temperature, marine surface wind setup and the wave height.

The SMA official said that China will make maximum effort to narrow gaps in technological research, launch, monitoring, control and ground application of aeromarine satellites with its advanced foreign counterparts.

With this it will strive in some aspects to overtake or surpass the world advanced rivals, he said.

( May 17, 2002)