The core payloads of on-board GF-5 satellite, developed by Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, passed the on-obit test with all standards reached or even surpassed, according to official release from the test team.

These three payloads kicked off their in-orbit tests with GF-5’s launching in May of this year aiming to support China’s atmospheric research and its pollution prevention.

After more than six-month’s operation, it has successfully retrieved trace gas information over China by obtaining global distribution of atmospheric trace gases and multi-spectral and multi-angle Polarized images as well as retrieving products related to atmospheric research.

Except its high performance, Environment Monitoring Instrument, or EMI, one of the three payloads, served China International Import Expo in November 2018 for air quality guarantee plan. The high spatial-temporal pollutants distribution information collected by EMI assisted government’s decision-making and evaluation of air quality guarding during the event.

Actually, the team undertook quite a few related payload development tasks during the test.

One of typical payloads is the Ultraviolet Hyper-spectral Pollution-gas Monitor carried on High-Precision Greenhouse-Gas Comprehensive Exploration Satellite, which focused on detection of pollution gases NO₂, SO₂, O₃, etc.

In addition to inheriting the design of EMI payload on GF-5 satellite, its performance has been greatly improved.

The spatial resolution of the payload has obtained a great raise from 48 km*13 km to 7 km*7 km and thus enormously improved the capability of the air pollution remote sensing in China.

Contact:

ZHOU Shu

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

Email: zhous@hfcas.ac.cn