China plans to launch 14 meteorological satellites over the next 10 years, said an official with the National Satellite Meteorological Center (NSMC), People's Daily reported Sunday. The satellite FY-3B is scheduled to launch at the end of this year and FY-4 is scheduled to launch in 2015.

Yang Jun, director of the NSMC, revealed the general launch schedule when he visited the Shanghai World Expo on August 8. He said that in 2015, the current FY-2 satellite will be replaced by a more advanced FY-4 which will possess a faster reaction speed to weather disasters and will develop the capability to detect lightning risk with its minute-by-minute observations.

The meteorological satellites will contribute more than 90 percent of China's weather information in the future through 3-D imaging. Their continual monitoring capability in areas such as natural disasters, environment, agriculture, ecology and oceans will play a key role in the prediction of weather disasters and changes.

(chinadaily.com.cn August 9, 2010)