AN OVERVIEW OF A NEW CHINESE WEATHER SATELLITE FY-3A

5 (FY-1A/B/C/D and FY-3A) of which are sun synchronous and 5 of which (FY-2A/B/C/D/E) of which are geostationary satellites; China will continue its two types of meteorological satellite programs. A low-inclination orbit satellite is planned, mainly for precipitation measurements (mainly radar and passive microwave measurements). The FY-3 series is more powerful than the FY-1 series (the Chinese first-generation satellite), because it has sounding capabilities and natural color imagery with a higher spatial resolution of 250 m. The FY-3A spacecraft carries 11 instruments, namely, the Visible and Infrared Radiometer (VIRR), Medium Resolution Spectral Imager (MERSI), Microwave Radiation Imager (MWRI), Total Ozone Mapping Unit (TOU), Infrared Atmospheric Sounder (IRAS), Microwave Atmospheric Temperature Sounder (MWTS), Microwave Atmospheric Humidity Sounder (MWHS), Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Sounder (SBUS), Solar Irradiation Monitor (SIM), Earth Radiation Measurer (ERM), and Space Environment Monitor (SEM). Compared with the FY-1 series, all of the instruments except VIRR and SEM are newly developed. The spectral bands of those instruments cover violent, visible, near-infrared, infrared, and microwave regions. Potential applications of the FY-3A observations include numerical weather prediction, climate research, environment monitoring,natural hazard monitoring,and space weather monitoring. The characteristics of the FY-3A orbit, primary environmental sensors, and products are introduced in this paper. The FY-3A data and products are available to users worldwide.