Eumetsat To Distribute Chinese Weather Sat Data

Data from China’s polar-orbiting FY-3B meteorological satellite will be distributed by Europe’s Eumetsat meteorological satellite organization beginning Jan. 24 as part of the EumetCast broadcast network, Eumetsat announced Jan. 20.

Darmstadt, Germany-based Eumetsat has been distributing microwave humidity and temperature data from the FY-3A spacecraft since late 2010. Eumetsat and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) agreed in May 2011 to add the same data from FY-3B.

FY-3B was launched in November 2010 and spent six months in testing before being declared operational by CMA.

Eumetsat has been conducting its own tests of the FY-3B data since mid-December to assure its accuracy before beginning regular transmission to Eumetsat’s member nations.

Data from the Chinese spacecraft are transmitted to a satellite data-reception facility in northern Sweden, or in China. The Chinese data are similar to what is available from Eumetsat’s own Metop-A polar-orbiting meteorological satellite.

Users in the Asia-Pacific region also will be receiving the Chinese satellite data from CMA’s own dissemination network, which resembles Eumetsat’sEumetCast and will be operational later in 2012, Eumetsat said.