China launches new weather satellites

China has achieved a noteworthy advancement in both space exploration and meteorological capabilities by successfully launching four new Tianmu-1 weather satellites.

The four satellites, labelled 11, 12, 13, and 14, were successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, located in northwest China, by 9:00 a.m. Beijing Time on December 25, 2023.

The satellites, which were launched aboard a Kuaizhou-1A rocket, successfully reached their predestined orbits.

This milestone signifies a significant stride in bolstering the nation’s capacity to monitor and understand weather patterns, contributing to enhanced meteorological forecasting and research.

Meteorological data services

The Tianmu-1 satellites are engineered to provide commercial meteorological data services, playing a crucial role in enhancing China’s ability to monitor global atmospheric conditions.

This significant advancement in meteorological science and technology is expected to benefit various sectors, including agriculture, aviation, maritime operations, and disaster management.

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The comprehensive and real-time data gathered by these satellites will overcome geographical limitations and accessibility issues, leading to improved weather monitoring and forecasting.

Tianmu-1 satellite constellation

The Tianmu-1 satellite constellation, which now includes these latest additions, has undergone development, with previous launches occurring throughout the year. Earlier launches included Tianmu-1 01 and 02 on January 9, satellites 03-06 on March 22, and satellites 07-10 on July 20.

The constellation’s primary objective is to continually amass comprehensive data on the atmosphere, oceans, and ionosphere across the globe. The successful launch of the latest cluster signifies China’s unwavering commitment to the development and practical applications of space exploration.

Space-based weather observation

This latest launch also marks the 23rd flight mission using the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rockets, underscoring China’s ongoing commitment to expanding its space-based weather observation network.

Through the successful deployment of the Tianmu-1 meteorological satellites, China not only showcases its advanced space exploration abilities but also contributes to the global advancement of meteorological science and technologies.