Satellite to improve weather forecasts

China will launch its latest independently developed weather satellite at the end of this year, which is said to be technically comparable to similar satellites being built in Europe and the United States.

The FY 4 satellite, the country's second generation of weather satellites and also the newest member of its Fengyun series, will be launched into geostationary orbit 36,000 km above Earth, according to Qu Yan, deputy head of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, which developed the satellite.

The satellite boasts world-leading technical capabilities in areas such as ground test sensitivity and spectral resolution, Qu said.