37214 - FENGYUN 3B

FENGYUN 3B, a Chinese weather satellite, was launched from Taiyuan at 18:37 UT on 2010 November 4. It was launched by a Long March 4C rocket and weighs 2.299 tons. FENGYUN 3B is a three-axis stabilized earth observation and meteorological satellite. It carries 11 instruments capable of global, all-weather, multi-spectral, three-dimensional, quantitative Earth observations. The satellite has a three-axis pointing accuracy of less than 0.3 degrees and a three-axis measurement accuracy of less than 0.05 degrees.

The initial orbital parameters were period = 101.43 minutes, apogee = 826.8 km, perigee = 826.2 km, inclination = 98.7 degrees on 2011 Apr 1 at 02:28:45 UTC.

FENGYUN 3B is the second of the Fengyun 3 experimental series. The Fengyun 3 series includes four satellites, the first two are experimental satellites and the last two are operational satellites. The Fengyun 3 satellite series is able to make 3D atmospheric detection, which substantially increases the abilities of the satellite in global data acquisition as well as land feature and cloud field observation. FENGYUN 3B has a design life of two years and will operate in a nominal 836 km altitude orbit with an orbital inclination of 98.75 degrees.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2010-11-04
Launch Vehicle: Long March 4C
Launch Site: Taiyuan, Peoples Republic of China