Three payloads kick off orbiting with China’s first high resolution atmospheric environmental observation satellite, or GF-5, launching on May 9, 2018 in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern Shanxi Province.

The three payloads onboard the satellite GF-5 are developed by Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (AIOFM), Hefei Institutes of Physical Science and will be orbiting for a very long time to scientifically support China’s atmospheric research and its pollution prevention.

The three payloads, namely the Environment Monitoring Instrument (EMI), the Greenhouse gases Monitoring Instrument (GMI), and the Directional Polarization Camera(DPC), serve not only to take a picture of the earth, but also to obtain the rapid and accurate information of the earth's atmospheric sensitive components as well as to realize the comprehensive detection of air pollution, greenhouse gases, clouds and aerosols.

During their orbital motion with the GF-5, each payload of the three has its own mission.

EMI is the first high-resolution imaging spectrometer used for the detection of atmospheric trace gases, the indicator of environmental pollution.

It is expected to quantitatively monitor air quality changes and the distribution and transportation of global pollution gases, and to analyze the effects of both human and natural emission on atmospheric composition, air quality, and global climate change.

GMI is to build various observation patterns by obtaining periodic hyperspectral data and quantitatively monitoring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

DPC aims to detect optical and microphysical parameters of global atmospheric aerosols and clouds and to provide valid research data of global climate change and high-precision atmospheric radiation correction for earth observation, as well as to realize monitoring of atmospheric fine particle pollution.

Due to the wide imaging fields of view, it takes only one day of EMI and DPC's orbital flight to acquire the global data.

The three payloads, with their synchronous operation on the GF-5, will meet the China's demand in some respect connected with environmental protection. In addition, the excellent performance of the three payloads would also propel China's development of atmospheric remote sensing monitoring.

Contact:

ZHOU Shu

Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (http://english.hf.cas.cn/)

Email: zhous@hfcas.ac.cn