Two groups of commercial satellites have begun to integrate the China Meteorological Administration’s (AMC) meteorological observation system, marking the unprecedented use of data from small satellites for meteorological services.
The constellation Tianmu-1with 23 satellites, and the series Yunyao-1made up of 12 satellites, began providing data to AMC from December 30th. Preliminary tests confirm that these groups of satellites are contributing significantly to the administration’s weather forecasting system.
This data is processed by the cloud platform Tianqing meteorological big data from AMC and used in various operational modules, such as weather observation and forecasting, numerical forecasting, global typhoon monitoring and short-term forecasts for severe weather phenomena, such as hail and lightning. Furthermore, they support research on climate change.
The constellation Tianmu-1 is the first to be compatible with the main global navigation systems, including Beidou and the GPS. This ensures high accuracy and vertical resolution without the need for calibration, offering comprehensive coverage for marine, atmospheric and ionospheric environments.
Fang Xiang, director of AMC’s integrated observation department, stressed that data from small commercial satellites plays a crucial role in weather forecasting and should be further developed.
Tianmu-1 and Yunyao-1 operators are responsible for providing AMC with information about the satellites, payloads, generated products, and updates on the status of satellites in orbit, ensuring efficient data transmission and information stability.
Source: https://www.chinahoje.net/pequenos-satelites-comerciais-entram-no-sistema-meteorologico-da-china/
