A new Earth observation satellite, GF-3 02 satellite was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Tuesday and has entered the planned orbit successfully.

GF-3 02 satellite is equipped with multi-polarized C-band SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) which was developed by a research team from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The satellite offers single-,dual-, and full-polarization methods. Among its 12 imaging modes, wave mode as well as global ocean observing mode are specifically designed for marine observations.

The satellite will form a land-sea radar satellite constellation with the orbiting GF-3 01 satellite, launched in 2016 focusing on ocean observation, to shorten the revisit interval in accordance with the needs of rapid observation on land and sea, and to realize repeated orbit interference.

In addition, the constellation will greatly improve the monitoring capabilities of marine ship observations, as well as the monitoring of emergencies at sea and the land-sea natural environment.

It will serve the fields of marine disaster prevention and mitigation, dynamic marine environment monitoring, environmental protection, water conservancy, agriculture, and meteorology.

GF-3 02 satellite is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. (Credit: WANG Jiangbo from Xinhua)